GEORGIA – A baby too young to receive routine measles vaccination is the first person in Georgia this year to contract measles.
The Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) confirmed the case on Monday, stating that the baby contracted the contagious virus while traveling internationally.
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The health department said the child lives in the Coastal Health District, which includes Bryan, Camden, Chatham, Effingham, Glynn, Liberty, Long & McIntosh counties.
Measles is an airborne infection that can spread when an infected person coughs or sneezes. The virus can remain in the air or on surfaces for up to two hours after an infected person has left the room, the DPH said.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that children receive two doses of the MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccine: the first at 12–15 months of age and the second at 4–6 years. For infants aged 6–11 months who will be traveling internationally, the CDC recommends one MMR dose before departure, followed by two additional doses after the child’s first birthday (according to the routine schedule).
Measles symptoms typically appear 7 to 14 days after exposure, including high fever, cough, runny nose, and watery eyes. Then, a rash of tiny red spots appears. It starts at the head and spreads to the rest of the body.
DPH is working to identify the individuals who may have been exposed to measles through contact with the child.
The GPH noted that there were 10 confirmed measles cases in Georgia last year.
Read more about the virus here.