County Health Department: Measles Victims Recovering

Officials from the Bucks County Health Department say all three individuals are recovering from an outbreak of measles that struck the Council Rock community earlier this month.

The cases, originally identified by the Bucks County Health Department and later confirmed by the federal Centers for Disease Control, are believed to have arrived in the area from French foreign exchange students who returned to their native country prior to testing. There is currently a major measles outbreak in France, Health Department officials said.

The Health Department said it continues to maintain surveillance among the exposed groups that were identified during the outbreak.

Officials said they believed exposure occurred April 30 at a Murder Mystery Dinner at the Cock and Bull Restaurant in Lahaska and at the Parx Casino blackjack tables on April 30 between 11 a.m. and noon.

Students from Council Rock High School North and Newtown Middle School who have not been vaccinated for the disease were removed from school until May 17, when the incubation period is believed to be over, Health Department officials said.

County Health Director David Damsker credits widespread immunization practices for preventing the public spread of these cases.

“This outbreak demonstrates the importance of herd immunity,” Dr. Damsker said. “In situations where large majorities of the population are already vaccinated, it’s difficult for an outbreak to continue very far. Additionally, I really want to thank the Council Rock School District for their complete cooperation during this difficult endeavor. We couldn’t have been successful without their assistance.”

Measles is caused by a highly contagious virus, County Health Department officials said. Symptoms begin one to two weeks after exposure and include a runny nose, watery eyes, cough, and a high fever.

After four days, a raised, red rash starts to spread on the face, down the body and out to the arms and legs. The rash usually lasts four to seven days. An individual with measles can spread the virus to others for four days before and four days after the rash begins, County Health Department officials explained.

Complications from measles can include ear infection, diarrhea, pneumonia, and encephalitis.

Most people in the United States are immune to measles, either because they received the Measles Mumps Rubella (MMR) vaccine in childhood, or because they were exposed to measles in the pre-vaccine era (before 1957).

For comprehensive information about measles, please visit the Centers for Disease Control website at www.cdc.gov/measles/index.html