ADAMS COUNTY, Colo. — A child under 5 years old is in the hospital with measles, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) and Adams County Health Department said Wednesday.
The child traveled with family to Chihuahua, Mexico, where there is an ongoing measles outbreak, according to the CDPHE. The child had not received a Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR) vaccine.
Anyone who was at the Children's Hospital Colorado Emergency Department in Aurora on Tuesday, August 12, between 6:36 and 10:16 p.m. could have been exposed, the CDPHE warned. If you were at the Children's Hospital Colorado Emergency Department during the specified time and start to experience symptoms, call a healthcare provider immediately. Be sure to inform them about your potential exposure to measles to help prevent further spread.
Watch for measles symptoms 21 days after exposure. That window ends September 2. Symptoms include fever, cough, runny nose and red eyes. Within a few days after initial symptoms present, those who were exposed to the illness get a rash on their face. It eventually spreads to other parts of the body, CDPHE advised.
Anyone can get the MMR vaccine within 72 hours of exposure to help prevent illness, according to the CDPHE. That 72-hour window closes Friday around 6:30 p.m.
In some cases, immunoglobulin can be administered within six days of exposure to prevent or lessen the severity of illness.
For more information, click here.
Denver7 is committed to making a difference in our community by standing up for what's right, listening, lending a helping hand and following through on promises. See that work in action, in the videos above.
