Boston Officials Confirm MGH Treated Case Of Measles May 5

BOSTON (CBS) – The Boston Public Health Commission confirms Massachusetts General Hospital treated a case of the measles on May 5.

Health officials say they are confident the highly contagious disease was isolated to just one patient.

MGH told WBZ in a statement:

"Mass. General followed standard infection control procedures, which means we isolate the patient once the diagnosis is confirmed, and implement standard infection protocols."

Vaccines supposedly eradicated measles in the United States more than a decade ago.  Yet this is at least the third person infected in Massachusetts this year.

In February, Framingham health officials were concerned about exposure to the disease after a contagious Spencer resident, who works at the Bose Corporation headquarters in the town, visited a Trader Joe's supermarket and a Japanese restaurant.

"The people we worry about are people too young to be vaccinated, people who have never been vaccinated, and people with weakened immune systems," said Dr. Mallika Marshall, WBZ's health reporter.

The Boston Public Health Commission said it has not seen additional cases resulting from exposure to the MGH patient.

When people do get symptoms, they usually start off with a fever or a cough, then develop itchy red eyes and a characteristic body rash.

Marshall said the patient is most contagious four days before and after the appearance of the rash.  Most children in the United States are vaccinated when they are 1 year old and receive a booster at about 4 or 5 years of age.

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