The Osceola County Health Department on Friday afternoon announced that it had received lab confirmation of a case of measles in a non-school-aged child in Osceola County.

Through the trace-back investigation process, the department’s epidemiology program was able to determine the child’s activities during the infectious period, which included visits to Orange County health care facilities. The Health Department determined that the child was epidemiologically linked to a laboratory confirmed case of measles in Orange County in early May. Proper and quick public health interventions were taken at each facility.

The Health Department made site visits to the health care facilities the child visited while being infectious and anyone who may have had contact with this child will be notified. Proper education and instruction will be given to prevent further spread of the measles infection.

A notification to the medical community has also been sent for enhanced surveillance for rash like illness. Anyone who has received their routine measles vaccinations will have immunity and in most cases will be protected.

The symptoms of measles generally begin about seven to 14 days after a person is exposed and include blotchy rash, fever, cough, runny nose, red, watery eyes (conjunctivitis), feeling run down, achy (malaise) and tiny white spots with bluish-white centers found inside the mouth (Koplik’s spots).

Measles spreads through the air by breathing, coughing or sneezing. It is extremely contagious and any person/child who is exposed to measles and is not vaccinated or immune will likely become ill. It is transmittable beginning four days before the rash becomes visible and up to four days after.

Parents are advised that the best way to protect their children against measles is to have them immunized with the MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccine. Children should receive two doses of the vaccine, the first at 12 to 15 months of age, and the second at 4 to 6 years of age.

Physicians are reminded that measles is a reportable disease in Florida and cases should be reported immediately upon initial suspicion to the local county health department as soon as the diagnosis is suspected, without waiting for confirmation.

For more information about measles and vaccination information, visit the DOH website at http://www.doh.state.fl.us/Disease_ctrl/immune/topics/measles.htm or the CDC website at www.cdc.gov/measles/index.html.