The measles virus, paramyxoviridae from the Morbillivirus family, transmission microscopy view. (Photo by: BSIP/Universal Images Group via Getty Images)
A school-age child has a case of measles in Vermont's Lamoille County, health officials said Tuesday.
The child recently returned from abroad with their family and became sick, the Vermont Department of Health said in an announcement. It's the state's first measles case of the year — there were two last year and two others since 2011.
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Health officials noted that the case is not related to the three outbreaks in the United States or another in Quebec. The risk to the public in Vermont is believed low — the child has been isolating since they've been contagious.
The child was evaluated at Copley Hospital in Morrisville Sunday between 3:15 and 6 p.m. — people known to have been in the emergency department have been contacted, according to Department of Health, but anyone who was there and hasn't heard from officials should monitor for symptoms of measles through Sunday, March 30.
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Officials didn't share any other locations where the child may have been, and didn't share more information about their identity, to protect their confidentiality.
Measles is highly contagious, though there are safe vaccines to prevent infection. Of those who aren't vaccinated, 1 in 5 Americans who get measles have to be hospitalized.
