Second Case Of Measles Confirmed In Fairfield County Household

FAIRFIELD COUNTY, CT — A second case of measles within a Fairfield County household has been confirmed by the Connecticut Department of Public Health (DPH), the first cases of the highly contagious infectious disease in the state since 2019.

The second child involved is a household contact of the original child who was diagnosed with measles on April 9. The child did not attend school while infectious, the DPH reported.

The DPH did not specify the town in which the measles patients reside.

Measles can spread quickly among unvaccinated people. However, the majority of people exposed to measles are not at risk of developing the disease, since most people have either been vaccinated or have had measles in the past, before vaccination became routine, according to the DPH.

DPH Acting Commissioner Dr. Deidre Gifford said, "The single best way to protect yourself and your children from measles is to be vaccinated. One dose of measles vaccine is about 93 percent effective, while two doses are about 97 percent effective. We must ensure we continue to protect our children from vaccine-preventable illnesses through on-time vaccination."

The Center for Disease Control (CDC) recommends all children get two doses of measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine, starting with the first dose at 12 through 15 months of age, and the second dose at 4 to 6 years of age. The CDC also recommends adults born after 1957 should receive at least one dose of MMR vaccine if they have never been vaccinated against measles. Adults born in the U.S. before 1957 are considered immune to measles from past exposures; in situations where exposure to measles is likely, these adults may benefit from a dose of MMR vaccine. Certain adults need two doses of MMR, such as college students, health care workers, international travelers, and persons at high risk for measles complications.

Since the beginning of 2021, other measles cases have been confirmed in the United States. In 2020, 13 cases of measles were confirmed in the country, the DPH stated.

For more information about measles, visit www.cdc.gov/measles.

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