Officials Warn Of Possible Measles Exposure After 2nd Confirmed Case In Nassau County
MINEOLA, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) - There's been a second case of measles in Nassau County, officials said Thursday.
The highly-contagious disease can be caught just by being in a room where someone with measles has coughed or sneezed. Symptoms include fever, runny nose, watery eyes followed by rash. People are considered infectious four days before and after the rash appears. Symptoms usually appear 10-12 days after exposure, but occasionally appear as early as seven days and as late as 21 days.
Anyone who visited the following locations at the following times may have been exposed. The times indicate two hours after the infected person left the area, since measles can live in the air and on surfaces for two hours.
Wednesday, September 11, 2019:
-
- Long Island Railroad (LIRR), Mineola Station to New York Penn Station between the hours of 3:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
- LIRR, New York Penn Station to LIRR, Mineola Station between the hours of 11:15 p.m. – 2:30 a.m
Thursday, September 12, 2019:
-
- LIRR, Mineola Station to New York Penn Station between the hours of 10:15 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.
- LIRR, New York Penn Station to LIRR Mineola Station between the hours of 6:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.
Saturday, September 14, 2019:
-
- Noches de Columbia Restaurant, 204 Jericho Turnpike, Mineola, NY, between the hours of 9:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
- Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) shuttle from LIRR, Mineola Station to LIRR, Hempstead station between the hours of 2:30 p.m. – 5:00 p.m.
- LIRR, Hempstead Station to LIRR, Jamaica Station between the hours of 3:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.
- LIRR, Jamaica Station to New York Penn Station between the hours of 3:50 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.
- LIRR, New York Penn Station to LIRR, Hempstead Station between the hours of 10:00 p.m. – 2:30 a.m.
- MTA shuttle from LIRR, Hempstead Station to LIRR, Mineola Station between the hours 12:15 a.m. – 2:30 a.m.
Officials urge anyone who had been in those areas at that time to CONTACT THEIR HEALTH CARE PROVIDER, LOCAL CLINIC OR EMERGENCY BEFORE GOING IN FOR CARE. This will help prevent further possible exposures.
"We have a solemn obligation to protect the health and safety of all 1.4 million people who call Nassau County home – especially the thousands of vulnerable people in our communities who cannot receive vaccinations due to health conditions or young age," said Nassau County Executive Laura Curran. "We will continue to emphasize that the single best way to protect our children and the entire community from serious diseases is through recommended vaccinations. The science remains clear: vaccines are safe, effective, and life-saving."
People who are pregnant, children under 6 months, people with compromised immune systems, haven't been vaccinated or were born before 1957 and are immunosuppressed are considered high-risk for contracting measles.
For more information about measles, click here, here or here.
