LDH confirms New Orleans measles case

The Louisiana Department of Health has confirmed one case of measles in New Orleans. The patient is an international visitor who was not fully vaccinated, and was exposed to measles outside of the U.S.

The LDH Office of Public Health is working to identify and notify those who have come into contact with the individual infected.

This is the third measles case reported in Louisiana in 2024.

Measles is highly contagious and can spread rapidly among individuals who have not had the measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccine. Among the measles cases reported in the U.S. this year, nearly half have resulted in hospitalization. In extreme cases, measles can lead to death. The measles virus can be particularly dangerous for babies and young children.

The individual who tested positive is in isolation and has received treatment at a Region 1 (Greater New Orleans) hospital.

Individuals who were at the following location on Wednesday, August 7, 2024, may have been exposed to measles and are at risk for developing symptoms within 21 days of the exposure date:

Ramada by Wyndham New Orleans
6303 Chef Menteur Highway, New Orleans

What are the symptoms of measles?

• The early symptoms of measles generally appear about 7-14 days after a person is infected.
• Measles typically begins with high fever, cough, runny nose and red, watery eyes. Two or three days after symptoms begin, tiny white spots (Koplik spots) may appear inside the mouth of a patient.
• Three to five days after symptoms begin, a rash breaks out. It usually begins as flat red spots that appear on the face at the hairline and spread downward to the neck, trunk, arms, legs and feet. Small, raised bumps may also appear on top of the flat red spots. The spots may become joined together as they spread from the head to the rest of the body. When the rash appears, a person's fever may spike to more than 104° Fahrenheit.
• After a few days, the fever subsides and the rash fades.

I think I have been exposed to measles. What should I do?

Immediately call your healthcare provider and let them know that you have been exposed to someone who has measles. Your healthcare provider can determine if you are protected against measles based on your vaccination record, age or laboratory evidence.

Monitor yourself for symptoms. Be on the lookout for fever and/or an unexplained rash from 7-21 days after exposure potentially occurred, as this is the time when symptoms may develop.

If you go see a provider in person, please make sure to notify your provider that you have been exposed to measles before you arrive so that they can make special arrangements to evaluate you, if needed, without putting other patients and medical office staff at risk.

If you are not immune to measles, MMR vaccine or a medicine called immune globulin may help reduce your risk of developing measles. Your healthcare provider can advise you and monitor you for signs and symptoms of measles.

If you are not immune and do not get MMR or immune globulin, you should stay away from settings where there are susceptible people (such as schools, hospitals or childcare) until your healthcare provider says it's OK to return. This will help ensure that you do not spread it to others.

I think I have measles. What should I do?

If symptoms develop, stay at home, and avoid school, work and any large gatherings. Immediately call your healthcare provider and let them know about your symptoms so that they can tell you what to do next. Your healthcare provider can make special arrangements to evaluate you, if needed, without putting other patients and medical office staff at risk. The Louisiana Department of Health can assist health care providers in appropriately diagnosing and managing your care.

Could I still get measles if I am fully vaccinated?

Very few people - about 3 out of 100 - who get two doses of measles vaccine will still get measles if exposed to the virus. Experts aren't sure why. It could be that their immune systems didn't respond as well as they should have to the vaccine. But the good news is, fully vaccinated people who get measles seem more likely to have a milder illness. And fully vaccinated people seem also less likely to spread the disease to other people, including people who can't get vaccinated because they are too young or have weakened immune systems.

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