- Title: USA: NYC health department says city's measles outbreak may not be over
- Date: 9th April 2014
- Summary: NEW YORK CITY, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES (APRIL 8, 2014) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF YASSAH TARQUEH AND HER CHILDREN BEING ESCORTED INTO EXAMINATION ROOM AT STATEN ISLAND UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL (2 SHOTS) VARIOUS OF TARQUEH HOLDING HER 1-YEAR-OLD SON, CORNELIUS (2 SHOTS) (SOUNDBITE) (English) YASSAH TARQUEH, STATEN ISLAND RESIDENT WHO TOOK HER SON FOR AN M-M-R (MEASLES, MUMPS, RUBELLA
- Embargoed: 24th April 2014 13:00
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- Location: Usa
- Country: USA
- Reuters ID: LVA7QJJLSHGH3WJGPY60079BGENJ
- Story Text: Yassah Tarqueh is bringing her one-year-old son, Cornelius to the Staten Island University Hospital to be vaccinated.
Even though the appointment was planned in advance of her toddler's first birthday, Tarqueh is especially aware of her family's health after a recent measles outbreak in New York City. According to the city's Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, 24 people, including 11 children, have contracted the disease.
"I feel safe, I know he will be - not 100 percent - but I know it's better than nothing," said Tarqueh.
Doctor Omar Rodriguez is a pediatrician at the hospital who administered the M-M-R (Measles, Mumps, Rubella) vaccine. He says outbreaks can mainly be attributed to declining vaccination numbers as well as foreign visitors and immigrant communities.
"Measles was actually eradicated in 2000 and what that meant was that it was not native to the United States anymore. So, after that we had about 60 cases a year and that was mostly from unvaccinated immigrant population," said Rodriguez.
So, what are the symptoms of the virus? It starts out as a high fever, runny nose and about three days later, a rash develops, which lasts approximately five days.
Emergency Room attending physician, Robert Glatter of Lenox Hill Hospital says what complicates diagnosis is when doctors don't know what to look for, resulting in the illness spreading swiftly if it's not isolated. Glatter says the virus stays airborne and highly infectious for up to four hours in an enclosed space.
"A lot of doctors are not familiar with the presentation, which often is a rash which begins behind the ears, generally high fever first, but then the rash spreads from the head down to the body, from the face to the trunk to the abdomen. And it's a disease which a lot of young doctors have never seen," Glatter told Reuters.
Measles can cause serious complications like diarrhea and pneumonia and even lead to death. Glatter says the measles virus is much more infectious than the flu virus. A person with flu typically infects one to three people, whereas a patient with measles can infect 17 to 18 others within close proximity. The disease also stays airborne in a room in enclosed space for three to four hours.
Glatter says the secret to keeping measles at bay is maintaining very high vaccination rates.
"The concept is called 'Herd Immunity'. By maintaining these high vaccination rates, those who are at risk, often don't catch the disease. Remember that measles is a very highly contagious viral illness. Those that are unimmunized are at about a 90 percent chance of getting the disease if they're not actively immunized."
And for Yassah Tarqueh, she has peace of mind that she has done all she can to ensure her children remain protected against preventable illnesses like measles and she says all parents should be aware of the risks.
"It's very dangerous, so for them, they'd better do it, so it will help. You never know," said Tarqueh.
New York City's Health Commissioner, Mary T. Basset said in a statement on Tuesday (April 8) that it's too soon to know whether the outbreak in the city is over and that New Yorkers should ensure "all household members, including young children, are vaccinated". - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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