A New York City resident infected with measles had dinner at 388, a family-style Italian eatery located at 388 Willis Ave., and may have exposed staff and other patrons to the virus, county health officials said on Friday, May 8. The person ate at the restaurant on Sunday, May 3, from 7:15 p.m. to 10:30 p.m. No other cases have been linked to the restaurant, the department said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe take the health and well-being of our guests and our team with the utmost seriousness, and we want to be\u00a0fully transparent with our community,\u201d the restaurant said in a statement. \u201c388 remains committed to the highest standards of hospitality, cleanliness, and the safety of everyone who walks through our doors.\u201d<\/p>\n
The first measles case in Nassau since 2024 was separately announced a few days earlier, as an unvaccinated child under the age of five who tested positive for the virus on Monday, May 4, according to county health officials.<\/p>\n
The Nassau County Department of Health said in a press release that it was notified of a laboratory-confirmed case and that the department, along with the state Department of Health, is investigating and taking necessary proactive steps to prevent further spread of the \u201chighly contagious\u201d respiratory virus.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe strongly encourage residents to protect themselves and their families by making sure they are up to date on important, lifesaving immunizations,\u201d Dr. Irina Gelman, the\u00a0Nassau County health commissioner, said in a statement.<\/p>\n
Symptoms of measles, which usually appear 10 to 12 days after exposure, but may appear as early as seven days and as late as 21 days after exposure, may include fever, cough, runny nose, and watery eyes, followed by a rash, health officials say.\u00a0 A person with measles can spread the virus from four days before the rash appears to four days afterward.<\/p>\n
Measles can cause serious illness, with complications that may include pneumonia, encephalitis, and often result in hospitalization and sometimes death, Gelman said.<\/p>\n
The virus can spread through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes, or through contact with nasal or throat secretions, including by touching a contaminated surface and then touching the eyes, nose, or mouth, health officials say.<\/p>\n
The health department recommends two doses of the MMR vaccine as the \u201csingle best way to prevent measles\u201d and says the vaccine is safe but may cause side effects that typically resolve on their own.<\/p>\n