Misc
Information About Reported Measles Cases
4/9/09 Update: Health Officials Identify Source of Measles, Additional Places of Possible Exposure
In conjunction with the Pennsylvania Department of Health and the Allegheny County Health Department, Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC today confirmed that it is investigating four confirmed cases of measles seen at Children’s Hospital. Exposure to the measles virus may have occurred in Children’s Hospital’s Emergency Department on:
- March 10, at any time
- 8 p.m. March 21 to 11 a.m. March 22
- 6 p.m. March 25 to 5 a.m. March 26
- 6 p.m. on March 27 to 3 a.m. March 28;
- 2:30 p.m. March 28 to 4 a.m. March 29
Exposure also may have occurred in Children’s Hospital’s 3rd floor ENT outpatient area on March 23 and in Children's Primary Care center between 4:30 p.m. until 8:45 p.m. on March 27.
All people known to have been in the Emergency Department, ENT outpatient area and the Primary Care Center during those times are being contacted.
The Department of Health and the Allegheny County Health Department are recommending the following to anyone who came to the Children’s Emergency Department, ENT outpatient specialty area on the third floor or the Primary Care Center during the periods mentioned above:
1) If you or your children are susceptible to measles and have had symptoms of fever and rash since the beginning of March, contact your primary health care provider immediately and let him/her know that you may have been exposed to measles.
2) If you or your children are susceptible to measles and become ill with symptoms of measles one to two weeks after possible exposure, contact your primary care provider immediately and let him/her know that you may have been exposed to measles. Please, do not bring your child to your doctor’s office without first contacting them. Similarly, do not bring your child to the Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh Emergency Department unless instructed to do so by your child’s physician.
3) Health care providers who suspect measles should call the Pennsylvania Department of Health at 877-PA-Health or the Allegheny County Health Department for consultation and to arrange testing.
The Department of Health and the Allegheny County Health Department are recommending the following to anyone who came to the Children’s Emergency Department, ENT outpatient specialty area on the third floor or the Primary Care Center during the periods mentioned above:
1) If you or your children are susceptible to measles and have had symptoms of fever and rash since the beginning of March, contact your primary health care provider immediately and let him/her know that you may have been exposed to measles.
2) If you or your children are susceptible to measles and become ill with symptoms of measles one to two weeks after possible exposure, contact your primary care provider immediately and let him/her know that you may have been exposed to measles. Please, do not bring your child to your doctor’s office without first contacting them. Similarly, do not bring your child to the Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh Emergency Department unless instructed to do so by your child’s physician.
3) Health care providers who suspect measles should call the Pennsylvania Department of Health at 877-PA-Health or the Allegheny County Health Department for consultation and to arrange testing.
The following groups are susceptible to becoming infected with measles:
- Infants who are too young to have been immunized (less than one year of age).
- Persons who were vaccinated with an inactivated vaccine, which was used from 1963 through 1967, and have not been revaccinated.
- Persons born after 1957 who have only received one dose of vaccine.
- Those who have refused vaccination.
- Those from areas of the world where there is low vaccine coverage or circulating measles.
If you have concerns about possible exposure to the virus, please contact your primary care provider. Other questions can be directed to Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh of UPMC at 412-692-5325.
