First case of measles found in Morgantown, WV, since 2009

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GET VACCINATED. HEALTH OFFICIALS SAY THE ADULT WHO CONTRACTED THE MEASLES IN MORGANTOWN, WEST VIRGINIA, WAS UNDER VACCINATED AND RECENTLY TRAVELED INTERNATIONALLY, WHILE MEASLES IS A VERY HIGHLY CONTAGIOUS VIRUS. THAT IS, WE'RE STARTING TO SEE A LITTLE BIT OF INCREASED ACTIVITY IN THE UNITED STATES. UM, IT IS SPREAD BY DROPLETS, UH, WHICH MEANS THROUGH COUGHING OR SNEEZING, DOCTOR JOSEPH ARAKERI WORKS AT ALLEGHENY HEALTH NETWORK. HE SAYS MEASLES CAN LEAD TO PNEUMONIA, SWELLING OF THE BRAIN AND EVEN DEATH. HE SAYS AFTER TEN DAYS OF EXPOSURE, SYMPTOMS WILL BEGIN TO POP UP. YOU CAN HAVE A HIGH FEVER, RUNNY NOSE, RUNNY RED EYES AND IRRITABLE THE T. AND THAT'S THEN FOLLOWED BY A RASH, WHICH LOOKS LIKE A WHOLE BUNCH OF LITTLE RED DOTS THAT THEN EVENTUALLY COME TOGETHER, AND ALSO MARKS IN THE MOUTH, TOO. SO LIKE LITTLE ULCERS IN THE MOUTH, DOCTORS SAY THE BEST THING TO DO IS TO GET VACCINATED AND MAKE SURE CHILDREN AND YOUR FAMILY ARE PROTECTED TOO. WELL, THERE ARE A LOT OF ILLNESSES THAT PEOPLE GET THAT WE THOUGHT WERE ERADICATED BECAUSE PEOPLE DON'T PAY ATTENTION TO THE VACCINES THAT THEY NEED. HEALTH OFFICIALS SAY THEY TRY TO MAKE VACCINES EASY TO GET MUNHALL FAMILY MEDICINE UPMC HEALTH AND WELLNESS CENTER JUST GOT ACCEPTED INTO A VACCINATION PROGRAM. IT'S RIGHT INSIDE THE BEST OF THE BATCHES. NEW FACILITY SO KIDS CAN GO RIGHT DOWNSTAIRS TO GET THE SHOTS. THE VACCINES ARE SAFE AND EFFECTIVE AT, AND YOU KNOW, IT PROTECTS US AGAINST THINGS LIKE ME. VCSELS. UM, VARICELLA, CHICKENPOX, THINGS LIKE THAT. THINGS THAT WHENEVER YOU ARE IN LIKE A SCHOOL TYPE OF ENVIRONMENT, THAT COULD EASILY BE PASSED AROUND TO NOW DOCTORS SAY IF YOU DO END UP GETTING THE MEASLES, MAKE SURE THAT YOU WEAR A MASK PROPERLY SO YOU DON'T SPREAD THE VIRUS. REPORTING

The West Virginia Department of Health has confirmed the first case of measles since 2009. And since the case was discovered just hours away, doctors in Pennsylvania say be on alert and get vaccinated.Health officials said the adult who contracted the measles in Morgantown was under-vaccinated and recently traveled internationally."Measles is a highly contagious virus that we are starting to see increased activity in the United States, and it's spread by droplets, which means by coughing or sneezing," said Dr. Joseph Aracri, who works with Allegheny Health Network.Aracri said measles can lead to pneumonia, swelling of the brain and even death. He said after 10 days of exposure, symptoms will begin to pop up."You can have a high fever, runny nose, runny red eyes, irritability that's followed by a rash, a whole bunch of red dots that come together and eventually marks in the mouth, ulcers in the mouth," Aracri said.Doctors said the best thing to do is get vaccinated and make sure the children in your family are protected as well.Health officials said they try to make vaccines easy to get. Munhall Family Medicine UPMC Health and Wellness Center just got accepted into the vaccination program. It's inside the new Best of the Batch facility, so kids can go downstairs to get the shots."The vaccines are safe and effective, and it protects us from things like measles, chicken pox, things like when you are in a school type of environment that can easily be passed around," said Adea Taylor, a medical assistant with UPMC.

Health officials said the adult who contracted the measles in Morgantown was under-vaccinated and recently traveled internationally.

"Measles is a highly contagious virus that we are starting to see increased activity in the United States, and it's spread by droplets, which means by coughing or sneezing," said Dr. Joseph Aracri, who works with Allegheny Health Network.

Aracri said measles can lead to pneumonia, swelling of the brain and even death. He said after 10 days of exposure, symptoms will begin to pop up.

"You can have a high fever, runny nose, runny red eyes, irritability that's followed by a rash, a whole bunch of red dots that come together and eventually marks in the mouth, ulcers in the mouth," Aracri said.

Doctors said the best thing to do is get vaccinated and make sure the children in your family are protected as well.

Health officials said they try to make vaccines easy to get. Munhall Family Medicine UPMC Health and Wellness Center just got accepted into the vaccination program. It's inside the new Best of the Batch facility, so kids can go downstairs to get the shots.

"The vaccines are safe and effective, and it protects us from things like measles, chicken pox, things like when you are in a school type of environment that can easily be passed around," said Adea Taylor, a medical assistant with UPMC.

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