RHODE ISLAND, January 18 - The Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH) is advising the public that a confirmed case of measles has been identified in Rhode Island.

This was a case in a young, unvaccinated child with a recent history of international travel. This child was hospitalized at Hasbro Children's earlier this month. The child is now at home and is well. This is Rhode Island's first confirmed measles case since 2013.

This child did not have any school or daycare contacts. The risk to the public is considered low. Contact tracing is being done. The limited number of patients and families who were believed to have had contact with this patient during this patient's infectious period are being contacted and provided with instructions on steps to help prevent any spread. As is protocol, RIDOH is taking additional measures in consultation with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Those include coordinating post-exposure treatment (prophylaxis) for any contacts who were unvaccinated.

The best way to protect against measles is with the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine. MMR is safe and effective. Fortunately, Rhode Island has a very good MMR vaccination rate. Approximately 97% of Rhode Island kindergarteners have completed the MMR series.

"Measles is almost entirely preventable through vaccination," said Director of Health Jerry Larkin, MD. "Any parent or guardian who has a child at home who is older than a year old and has not been vaccinated against measles should talk to their child's healthcare professional. For any family with insurance issues or trouble accessing care, RIDOH can make vaccine available at no cost. RIDOH also wants to acknowledge the clinicians and team at Rhode Island Hospital and Hasbro Children's for their swift actions and clinical expertise to mitigate risk to the community."

A first dose of MMR is generally given between 12 and 15 months old and a second dose is generally given between 4 and 6 years old. Anyone traveling internationally should be fully vaccinated before traveling. It is very important that infants 6 to 11 months old get 1 dose of the MMR vaccine before international travel. Then they should get 2 more doses after their first birthday.

Measles is a highly contagious respiratory disease caused by a virus. The measles virus lives in the nose and throat mucus of an infected person. It spreads easily to others when an infected person coughs or sneezes or through close personal contact. According to the CDC, a room where a person with measles has been should remain empty for up to 2 hours after they leave, as the measles virus can remain infectious in the air for that duration.

Measles symptoms typically appear 7 to 14 days after exposure to the virus. Symptoms typically include:

• High fever • Cough • Runny nose • Red, watery eyes (conjunctivitis) • Tiny white spots inside the mouth on the inner lining of the cheek • A rash made up of large, flat blotches.

Infected people can spread measles to others from four days before to four days after the rash appears.

A healthcare professional may offer a preliminary diagnosis of measles for patients with fever, rash, and other measles symptoms. RIDOH's State Health Laboratory will confirm if the rash is caused by measles by testing nose or throat swabs, and looking for measles antibodies in blood.

There is no specific antiviral therapy for measles. Treatment is supportive and vitamin A is used to reduce severity of symptoms.