Aug 17, 2008 10:55 am US/Eastern
Measles Scare Hits Long Island
Teen With Measles May Have Spread Disease In Mall
NEW YORK (CBS) ―
There is an important health alert on Long Island - officials fear a teenage girl who was unaware she was infected with measles, may have spread the disease. The girl visited the Bay Shore mall in Suffolk County late last month, right when she was highly contagious.
She was at the South Shore mall off Sunrise Highway in Bay Shore on July 29. According to state health officials, the 13-year-old girl was never immunized and was infected with measles after traveling through Europe.
Measles is a highly contagious airborne virus. Shoppers were concerned by the news.
When CBS 2 HD asked Ereka Neal if she was going to the mall after being told of the measles scare, she said "I was but [now] I'm not sure."
"I think they should have notified everyone at the door to let them know," added Kathy Morris.
Mall security was unaware of the issue on Saturday.
"This is the first I have heard about it ma'am and I am security," CBS 2's Carolyn Costello was told.
Dr. Carl Mealie said the risk is minimal to anyone who has been immunized or had measles in the past. Symptoms include congestion, a fever of up to 104 degrees, and a rash.
Doctors on Long Island say they are seeing more cases of measles in the U.S. than in years past. Often times people from other countries are bringing it in.
According to Dr. Mealie, the U.S. has seen 127 cases of measles so far this year. Typically there are between 20 and 50 cases every year.
Doctors say it's rare but possible to measles even if you have been immunized. And because symptoms take several days to appear, a patient could spread it without any idea they're infected.
(© MMIX, CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved.)
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