Colorado reports new case of measles, in a baby from Denver
The infant recently traveled with family to Mexico. The case is not believed to be connected to a previous measles infection reported in Pueblo
admin
Colorado reported its second case of measles in eight days on Monday, this time in an infant from Denver.
The baby had recently traveled with family to the Mexican state of Chihuahua, which is experiencing an outbreak of measles, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment said in a news release.
The infection is not believed to be connected to a case of measles reported last week in an adult in Pueblo — other than that person had also recently traveled to Chihuahua. Colorado has so far not identified any subsequent infections in the state arising from the Pueblo case. The person has recovered from the infection.
Children typically do not receive their first dose of measles vaccine until they turn 1, and the Denver baby who was infected was unvaccinated.
Colorado officials did not release any information on how the baby is doing.
The infant appears to have been taken to the Denver Health emergency room on Sunday. CDPHE is asking anyone who was at the ER on that day between the hours of 10:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. to monitor for symptoms for 21 days after exposure — that’s until April 27 — and to consider avoiding public gatherings during that time.
“Unvaccinated individuals who may have been exposed should talk to their health care provider or local public health agency about promptly receiving the MMR vaccine,” the agency’s news release stated.
Measles symptoms typically begin around one to three weeks after exposure and look like a common cold: fever, cough, runny nose and/or red eyes. The recognizable rash usually doesn’t occur until a few days later, starting on the face before spreading to the rest of the body.
In bad cases, measles can cause pneumonia or swelling of the brain. It can damage the immune system — causing something called “immune amnesia” which can make it harder for the body to fight other infections — and it can also be fatal.
Two children have now died in the ongoing measles outbreak in Texas, and the death of an adult in New Mexico is also being investigated. The U.S. has seen more than 600 cases of measles this year, most connected to the Texas outbreak. Mexican officials have also reported that the outbreak in Chihuahua is linked to the Texas cases.
