According to the Florida Department of Health, measles cases have been increasing in the state. Pinellas County is not an exception.\u00a0<\/p>\n
St. Petersburg Catholic High School leadership confirmed that a sophomore student was diagnosed with measles in a Feb. 4 letter to parents. The child has not been attending class since Jan. 27.\u00a0<\/p>\n
A representative from the Diocese of Saint Petersburg, which oversees the school, told the Catalyst that no new cases have been reported. However, the institution is closely monitoring the situation in accordance with health officials.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Johns Hopkins All Children\u2019s Hospital physician Patrick Mularoni said that the illness is \u201cvery communicable\u201d \u2013 especially for those who are not vaccinated.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Measles spreads more quickly than the common cold, he added. People can get the virus through airborne contact, including when an infected individual coughs or sneezes, or by touching items that a sick person has touched.\u00a0<\/p>\n
It is recommended that children get the first dose of the measles vaccine between 12 to 15 months of age and then a second dose when they are between four and six years of age, Mularoni explained.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Just one shot offers over 90% immunity. For young people who get both vaccines, they will receive 97% immunity.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cUnfortunately we are seeing vaccine hesitancy in parents for their children and the vaccine is the number one way to decrease your chance of catching measles,\u201d he said. \u201cMeasles is a fatal condition for some individuals who get it. So, the vaccine is both suggested and necessary.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Mularoni anticipates that the spread of measles will increase as vaccination rates decrease.\u00a0<\/p>\n
When people first show signs of the measles, symptoms are often similar to the common cold. They can include a running nose, cough and fever.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The only early \u201ctell-tale\u201d sign of measles is bright red eyes, he explained. It takes three to four days after showing initial symptoms before individuals will get a rash on their body.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u201cThe problem with measles is that most people don\u2019t recognize it early,\u201d Mularoni said. \u201cIf you are diagnosed with measles, you most likely were contagious around other individuals.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
The virus can lead to secondary bacterial infections such as pneumonia and even encephalitis or inflammation of the brain. There are a significant number of hospitalizations for the illness, he added.\u00a0<\/p>\n
According to the National Foundation of Infectious Diseases, measles can also\u00a0\u201cresult in seizures, deafness, blindness and permanent lung damage.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n
Since children under the age of 1 cannot receive a vaccination dose yet, it\u2019s important to take extra precautions, Mularoni explained. Parents who think that their child has measles should contact their health provider, before visiting an office or emergency room, to help avoid spreading the virus.\u00a0<\/p>\n
\u00a0<\/p>\n
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