CINCINNATI — The Cincinnati Health Department is notifying the public about a possible measles exposure at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital after two out-of-state patients confirmed to have the disease visited the hospital’s emergency department earlier this month.
Health officials were notified of the possible exposure on Sept. 17. The two patients entered the emergency department on Burnet Avenue on Sept. 14 and were confirmed to have measles on Sept. 16, according to the University of Cincinnati’s student newspaper, The News Record.
Measles is one of the most contagious viruses known, spreading through coughing and sneezing and able to linger in the air for up to two hours after an infected person leaves a room. Symptoms typically include high fever, cough, runny nose, red eyes and a characteristic rash, and complications can be severe, especially for young children.
Health officials say anyone who was in the emergency department during the exposure window and develops symptoms should contact their health care provider before visiting in person, so precautions can be taken to prevent further spread.
The exposure comes amid declining childhood vaccination rates in parts of Ohio. State law allows parents to decline school vaccinations for reasons of conscience, and public health researchers have warned that falling coverage leaves communities more vulnerable to outbreaks.
The MMR vaccine is safe and highly effective, preventing measles in about 97 percent of people who receive both recommended doses, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
