Doctors on High Alert After Measles Spreads to Multiple Kids in NYC Community
A health scare is raising some red flags in Brooklyn, New York, as six children have now been diagnosed with measles, the New York Times reports. According to New York City’s Health Department, it seems to be contained within a Williamsburg community.
It takes only one person to spread the highly contagious virus, and 9 out of 10 people who come into contact with measles will catch it if they haven’t been vaccinated or already had the disease.
“We know that the main child who was affected was a child who was unvaccinated and traveled to an area in Israel that was undergoing a measles outbreak,” the department’s acting commissioner Dr. Oxiris Barbot says.
Doctors believe the child brought measles back and it then spread to five other children, who range in age from 11-months-old to 4-years-old, in the Brooklyn area. Five of the infected kids were unvaccinated, and one was too young to have been vaccinated.
It’s important to be able to spot the signs for measles before the symptoms advance. The condition usually starts with a cough, runny nose and fever. Your may also see red eyes and white spots on the inside of baby’s mouth. Three to five days after symptoms begin, a red and white rash spreads over the face and body.
Unfortunately, there’s no medication for the virus and when you have it, you have to let it run its course. Rest, extra fluids and, if needed, non-aspirin medicine like acetaminophen or ibuprofen will help. As with all illnesses, alert the doctor immediately if baby exhibits any warning signs like a high fever, abnormal breathing patterns or forceful vomiting or diarrhea.
The MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccine is a highly effective way parents can prevent their kids from contracting measles. The CDC recommends vaccinating when baby is 12 to 15 months old, and then again at 4 to 6 years old.
Before you panic, read up on more ways to prevent measles from affecting you and your family.
Please note: The Bump and the materials and information it contains are not intended to, and do not constitute, medical or other health advice or diagnosis and should not be used as such. You should always consult with a qualified physician or health professional about your specific circumstances.
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