PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — A second case of measles has been reported in Philadelphia. Like the first, it’s not related to the outbreak that started in Texas, but health officials have issued an alert about potential exposure.
The patient first sought treatment at Pennsylvania Hospital (800 Spruce St.) on Sunday, April 6. The individual was in the emergency room between 3:55 and 11:20 p.m. Then on Tuesday, April 8, the patient went to Holy Redeemer Hospital in Montgomery County (1648 Huntingdon Pike) and was in the ER between 6:05 and 9:45 p.m.
Officials said the patient contracted measles while traveling abroad.
People who have been vaccinated are immune to the virus, as the vaccine is highly effective, but health department spokesperson Jim Garrow said a small sliver of the population could be at risk.
“It shouldn’t be a problem for most folks, but for babies who are under the age of 1 who haven’t gotten their first MMR vaccine, people who are immune-compromised, or folks who never got the vaccine, those are the folks who need to be careful and take extra steps,” he said.
“If you’re one of those folks who aren’t vaccinated and aren’t immune to measles and were at those emergency departments during the times listed, the best thing to do is to reach out to your provider and let them know that you may have been exposed. We’re asking those folks to quarantine for 21 days, just to make sure they don’t have it and potentially spread it to other people.”
Garrow said people in that category should quarantine for 21 days and seek treatment if they develop a fever — an early symptom of the potentially fatal virus.
For more information, visit phila.gov.