Two individuals who visited UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh final week have examined positive for measles, prompting Allegheny County well being officers to warn of doable exposures in a number of areas of the hospital.
On Tuesday, the well being division warned of potential publicity Thursday within the hospital’s foremost foyer, third-floor ready and clinic areas, cafeteria and elevators, after two nonresidents of Allegheny County examined positive after a go to to UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh.
Hundreds of folks had been uncovered throughout the go to, in keeping with Dr. Donald Yealy, UPMC’s chief medical officer and chair of its emergency drugs division.
“It is a large number of people, bigger than what we’ve seen before,” Yealy informed TribLive on Tuesday afternoon.
He stated the publicity concerned a toddler and two dad and mom who had been on the hospital for a scheduled go to. He declined to say whether or not the go to was associated to measles.
This is the third confirmed case on the hospital introduced by the well being division.
A Jefferson County resident was identified with measles at UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh on Aug. 20. The division stated the particular person had visited the hospital Aug. 12 and Aug. 18.
Yealy stated he didn’t know the house county of the 2 folks identified Thursday. State well being division spokesman Barry Ciccocioppo additionally informed TribLive he didn’t but know the place they had been from.
It was the primary confirmed case of the extremely contagious illness in Allegheny County since 2019, in keeping with the Allegheny County Health Department’s web site.
Measles is a virus that infects the lungs and spreads when an contaminated particular person breaths, coughs, or sneezes, in keeping with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The virus stays within the air and on surfaces for as much as two hours, even after the contaminated particular person leaves the world. An particular person with measles can unfold the virus to others 4 days earlier than and 4 days after the rash begins.
Symptoms can begin seven to 21 days after publicity, in keeping with the well being division.
Symptoms to look at for embody fever, cough, runny nostril, and purple, watery eyes, adopted by a rash that begins on the top or face earlier than spreading downward.
Exposed areas embody: the Giraffe/Hippo ready room on the third ground between 1-4 p.m., Giraffe Clinic on the third ground between 2-5 p.m., the cafeteria on the third ground between 3-5 p.m., the primary foyer on the first ground between 1-5 p.m. and the Grape/Purple elevators between 1-5 p.m.
UPMC is contacting sufferers and workers recognized as uncovered, whereas the Allegheny County Health Department is urging individuals who had been in these areas to verify their vaccination standing and phone a healthcare supplier for steerage.
Yealy stated folks vaccinated with the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine are almost at all times resistant to the virus.
Unvaccinated folks, nonetheless, are at excessive threat for an infection and problems.
“The best way to stay protected is to get vaccinated,” he stated.
Yealy suggested those that assume they could have been uncovered to name forward earlier than coming to the hospital.
The instances are half of a rising measles outbreak that has contaminated almost 500 folks to this point this yr in Pennsylvania — none of whom had been absolutely vaccinated.
Around half the instances have been in and round Lancaster County, whereas important outbreaks are additionally ongoing in Mifflin, Snyder, Jefferson, Centre and Clearfield counties.
(*2*)