Measles case detected in eastern Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania’s first measles case of 2025 has been reported in Montgomery County — outside of Philadelphia.

The Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services Office of Public Health said March 2 that it was investigating a confirmed case of measles in an unvaccinated child in the county.

As of March 6, a total of 222 measles cases were reported in 12 areas: Alaska, California, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York City, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas and Washington, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Measles usually begins with a fever of 100.4°F or higher that lasts for several days, followed by a cough, runny nose and watery eyes.

Two to three days after symptoms begin, tiny white spots may appear in the mouth, and three to five days after symptoms begin, a flat red spotted rash appears beginning on face at the hairline and spreads downward. The flat red spots may also be joined by small, raised bumps.

The child visited the following locations during their infectious period:

• China Airlines airport shuttle bus from 9:30 p.m. on Feb. 25 to 3:15 a.m. Feb. 26 (Departing JFK Airport Terminal 4, arriving at North Philadelphia, Pho Ha Saigon, 575 Adams Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19120)
• True North Pediatrics Associates of Plymouth from 11:45 a.m. to 2:15 p.m. on Feb. 26 (3031 Walton Rd., #C101, Plymouth Meeting, PA 19462)
• CHOP King of Prussia Campus Emergency Department from 12:52-3:02 p.m. on Feb. 26 (550 S. Goddard Boulevard, King of Prussia, PA 19406)

Anyone at those locations during the identified time periods may have been exposed, Montgomery County said. Symptoms appear about 7-14 days after exposure on average but can be as long as 21 days.

People are considered to be immune to measles if any of the following applies:

• They were born in 1957 or earlier
• They have had 2 doses of the Measles, Mumps, Rubella vaccine
• They have had measles disease

Disease investigators are completing contact tracing in the county alongside health care systems and the child’s guardians — and identified individuals are in the process of being contacted and notified of potential exposure to measles and assessed for vaccination status and risk for infection.

For up to two hours after an infected person leaves the area, the measles virus can remain in the air and on surfaces. If someone breathes in the contaminated air or touches an infected surface and then touches their eyes, nose or mouth, they can become infected.