State health officials have identified a case of measles in an unvaccinated New Hampshire resident.
This and another recently confirmed case in Vermont are linked to an international traveler who visited Hanover in late June.
Health officials say the New Hampshire resident may have exposed others to the highly contagious disease while visiting several public places in the Lebanon area last week, including:
- July 1, 1:30 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.: Peppermint Patty’s in Grantham
- July 1, 5:30 p.m. - 11:30 p.m.: Sierra Trading Post in West Lebanon
- July 3, 9:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.: Dartmouth Co-op in Hanover
- July 5, 9:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.: Dartmouth Co-op in Hanover
- July 5, 11:45 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.: ClearChoiceMD Urgent Care waiting room in Lebanon
- July 6, 8:00 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.: ClearChoiceMD Urgent Care waiting room in Lebanon
- July 6, 9:30 a.m. - July 7, 1 a.m.: Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center Emergency Department in Lebanon
Anyone who was in one of those locations – and is not protected against measles through either vaccination or previous infection – is encouraged to call New Hampshire’s Division of Public Health Services as soon as possible at 603-271-4496.
Measles is one of the most contagious infectious diseases and can cause serious complications, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The agency says as many as nine out of 10 people who are exposed will become infected, if they don’t have prior immunity.
The virus can spread through contact with infectious droplets or through the air and can linger for up to two hours after an infected person has been there.
Most people are vaccinated against measles as children. State health officials say the vaccine provides lifelong protection against measles for most people, and is the best defense against the virus.
However, people with weakened immune systems may be susceptible to measles even if they have been vaccinated. Health officials say those people should talk to their health care providers if they may have been exposed, to determine whether preventive treatments are recommended.
