A second case of the measles has been reported in D.C. this year. The latest case is not linked to the outbreak in California, and there is no further indication that the two cases are related. Department of Health officials have communicated with anyone who could have been exposed to the infected person, and are recommending vaccinations if they are not already immune. They are urging all residents who are uncertain of their vaccination status to get vaccinated. Measles is a highly infectious disease and includes the following symptoms:
- Fever
- Pink or red eyes
- Cough
- Red, blotchy rash that appears on the third or seventh day starting with the face and spreading to the rest of the body.
The disease can be more severe in adults and babies. Measles is spread by direct proximity with nasal or throat secretions of an infected person or via air from an infected person’s cough or sneeze. Symptoms can appear from seven to twenty-one days, but most commonly fourteen days after exposure.
