Second measles case diagnosed in Lowell

Patient shopped in Chelmsford, Tewksbury

State health officials announced yesterday another case of measles has been diagnosed in the Lowell area. This second case at the Lowell Community Health Center comes days after another patient was diagnosed with measles, the state Department of Public Health said yesterday. “Our efforts now are to identify people who may be at risk of getting ill and to get them vaccinated,” said state epidemiologist Dr. Catherine Brown. “There are no known links between the two cases.” The contagious disease is caused by a virus that spreads from person to person that would be most dangerous for children under 5, pregnant women, and people with weakened immune systems, according to DPH. “We’re taking this very seriously and we’ve taken an aggressive stance to get the word out,” Lowell Mayor William Samaras told the Herald. “It’s an issue we have to deal with, but right now it’s not an outbreak.” DPH said the patient diagnosed Thursday was present at a number of other locations, including a T.J. Maxx in Chelmsford and Walmart in Tewksbury, days before that could have exposed other people to the disease. State health officials urged all who do not know their measles immunization status to get at least one dose of the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine. Once inoculated, people are “unlikely to develop measles even if exposed,” DPH said. But risk exists. “The measles is incredibly contagious,” said Dr. Paul Sax, clinical director of the infectious disease division at Brigham and Women’s Hospital “That’s why widespread immunization is important. People get seriously sick. Everyone should get immunized. It is one of the most important messages. Get immunized as soon as possible. Immunization after the disease can still prevent it. It is not too late. “Measles has become, fortunately, a rare disease. But there has been very large outbreaks in Europe. There have been recent outbreaks in New York and California. People who have been exposed and who are not immunized and develop an illness that starts off as a cold should contact their doctor right away.” Earlier this year, the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said measles “remains a leading cause of vaccine-preventable infant mortality.” However: “Measles remains present in many other countries and can be brought into the United States by unvaccinated travelers (Americans or foreign visitors).” Symptoms occur 10 days to two weeks after exposure and may resemble those of a cold. A rash on the skin may develop two to four days later. State health officials say individuals exposed or who begin to develop symptoms of measles should call their health care provider before visiting an office, clinic or emergency department, as it may put others at risk and should be avoided.