Ocean County measles outbreak expands

New Jersey health officials have confirmed five more cases of measles in a central New Jersey community.

The latest confirmed cases bring the total to 11 in Ocean County.

Officials say the infected people may have exposed others to the disease while they were at sites in Lakewood between Oct. 25 and Nov. 1. The state health department considers this an outbreak of measles in the community.

Health officials say anyone who visited these locations may have been exposed to measles:

• Schul Satmar, 405 Forest Avenue, Lakewood
  • October 28 – November 1 between 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily
    October 28 – October 31 between 6:30 p.m. and 12:30 a.m. (morning of Nov. 1)
    November 1 between 6:30 p.m. and 10 p.m.
• CHEMED Health Center, 1771 Madison Ave, Lakewood
  • October 30 between 9:20 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.
  • November 1 from 10:15 p.m. to close
• Office of Dr. Eli Eilenberg, 150 James St, Lakewood
  • October 31 between 11:15 a.m. and 2:45 p.m.
  • November 1 between noon and 4:30 p.m.
• Four Corners Bagel & Café, 150 James St, Lakewood
  • October 31 between 12:30 p.m. and 3 p.m.

Anyone who suspects they were exposed should call a health care provider before going to a medical office or emergency department so special arrangements can be made for an evaluation. This also protects other people and medical staff from possible infection.

Thousands of mumps-measles-rubella, or MMR, vaccine doses were administered last week in Lakewood.

Measles is a highly contagious disease and spread through the air when someone coughs or sneezes. People can also get sick when they come in contact with mucus or saliva from an infected person.

Symptoms include rash, high fever, cough, runny nose and red, watery eyes.

Anyone who has not been vaccinated or has not had measles is at risk if they are exposed, according to state officials.

“Two doses of measles vaccine are about 97 percent effective in preventing measles,” said Dr. Christina Tan, state epidemiologist. “Getting vaccinated not only protects you, it protects others around you who are too young to get the vaccine or can’t receive it for medical reasons.”

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The Associated Press contributed to this report.