A person with measles visited several public locations in Wake County on Feb. 5 and 6, including a gym and supermarket.
A person with measles visited five public places in Wake County on Feb. 5 and 6, state and county officials said on Tuesday, potentially exposing patrons at a gym, restaurant, drugstore, and two Harris Teeter supermarkets to the most contagious disease humankind has ever known.
The health alert comes as the measles outbreak running riot in South Carolina continues to trickle into North Carolina.
There are now 18 NC confirmed cases since December of last year.
Vaccines nearly eradicated measles from the United States, but rising vaccine hesitancy has given it an opening for a comeback—an opening the virus is taking full advantage of. The country is now seeing the largest number of measles cases in more than 30 years, and South Carolina has the largest outbreak in the United States.
“Measles is probably the most contagious vaccine-preventable disease that we have,” Dr. Michael Smith, division chief of pediatric infectious diseases at the Duke School of Medicine, told Cardinal & Pine for its Bad Medicine series.
RELATED: Cardinal & Pine presents Bad Medicine, a wide-ranging look at how new federal healthcare policies affect North Carolinians of all ages.
“People who are not vaccinated or are unsure of their vaccination status should review their records, monitor for symptoms and contact Wake County Public Health for guidance at 919-250-4462,” the county health department said in a news release.
The infected person visited the following locations on Feb. 5 during the listed time range. Two doses of the vaccine are 97% effective at stopping the spread of the disease, but anyone who was at these locations around the same time, state health officials said, should monitor for symptoms until Feb. 26.
- O2 Fitness – 7801 Alexander Promenade Pl., Raleigh, NC; Exposure from 1:30 p.m. to 5:15 p.m.
- Everbowl Acai Bowls – 7840 Alexander Promenade Pl., Suite 125, Raleigh, NC; Exposure from 3:30 p.m. to 5:45 p.m.
- Harris Teeter – 13210 Strickland Rd., Raleigh, NC; Exposure from 5 p.m. to 7:10 p.m.
- Harris Teeter – 8345 Creedmoor Rd., Raleigh, NC; Exposure from 5:15 p.m. to 7:35 p.m.
The state health department said on Tuesday that there was a potential exposure on Feb 6 as well. Anyone at this location during the time range should monitor for symptoms until Feb. 27.
- Walgreens – 13301 Strickland Rd., Raleigh, NC; Exposure on Feb. 6 from 3:30 p.m. to 5:40 p.m.
What is measles?
Measles spreads through droplets in coughs and sneezes, but stealth and efficiency are part of what makes it so contagious.
Measles comes with its tell-tale rash all over the body, but that doesn’t develop until about four days after a person is already contagious, and until then, the symptoms mirror a cold, the flu, or any number of common respiratory illnesses.
It can take two weeks after an infection for someone with measles to show symptoms, making it difficult for health officials to trace a given case to its source. It can also linger in the air for two hours, even after the infected person has left.
Nine out of 10 unvaccinated people who come in contact with the virus will catch it. Most people who catch measles will recover, but it can be very serious, especially for young children.
It can cause high fever, dehydration, pneumonia, seizures, and several long-term complications, including blindness, deafness, and a ravaged immune system. If the total case numbers skyrocket, the number of these rare complications climbs too.
Wake County and State health officials say that the public should contact their local health department if they were at the locations during the dates and times provided.
You should also be on the look out for:
- High fever (may spike to more than 104°F)
- Cough
- Runny nose
- Red, watery eyes (conjunctivitis)
- Tiny white spots on the inner cheeks, gums, and roof of the mouth (Koplik spots), appearing two to three days after symptoms begin
- A red, raised, blotchy rash that usually starts on the face and spreads to the trunk, arms, and legs three to five days after symptoms begin
RELATED: How measles came back from the dead and what it means for North Carolina
