Pennsylvania has first measles case of 2019
PITTSBURGH, Pa. (WPVI) -- Pennsylvania now has its first measles case of 2019.
It's a man in the Pittsburgh area and officials warn he might have exposed dozens of others to the virus.
The Allegheny County Health Department says it's an adult male in Pittsburgh, who is not vaccinated. He probably caught measles on a recent overseas trip and his case is not linked to any of the outbreaks in the US.
The man was diagnosed Monday at a Pittsburgh-area hospital and is now recovering in isolation at home.
He was contagious when he visited two supermarkets over the weekend, so health officials want anyone at those stores at the time to watch for measles symptoms and they're urging anyone not vaccinated to get a shot.
"By immunizing yourself you can help protect others in the community who can't get vaccinated or prevent measles from spreading," says Dr. Kristen Mertz of the Allegheny County Health Department.
Meanwhile, a cruise ship with a crew member sick with measles is scheduled to leave St. Lucia tonight for Curacao.
The ship called the "Freewinds," owned by the Church of Scientology, was quarantined.
No one was let off-board. A doctor on board today requested 100 doses of measles vaccine.
