Health Officials Confirm 4 Cases Of Measles In Southwest Pa.

The Pennsylvania Department of Health, in coordination with the Allegheny County Health Department and UPMC's Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, confirmed Friday that they are investigating four confirmed cases of measles seen at Children's Hospital.

Exposures to measles may have occurred in the Children's Hospital Emergency Department on:

March 10, at any time

Between 8 p.m. on March 21 and 11 a.m. on March 22;

Between 6 p.m. on March 25 and 5 a.m. March 26; and

Between 5 p.m. on March 28 and 4 a.m. on March 29.

Exposure may have also occurred at the Children's Hospital 3rd floor Ear Nose and Throat (ENT) Specialty Clinic on March 23. Anyone known to have been in the Emergency Department or ENT Specialty Clinic during those times are being contacted for evaluation as a precaution.

The health departments are recommending the following to anyone who came to Children's Hospital Emergency Department or ENT Specialty Clinic on the third floor of the DeSoto wing during the periods mentioned above:

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.

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.

The following groups of individuals 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 vaccine;

Those who refused vaccination; and those from a part of the world where there is low vaccination coverage or circulating measles.

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.

Previous Stories: April 1, 2009: Pittsburgh-Area Health Officials Warn Of Measles After 3 Cases