LAKEWOOD, NJ — A suspected case of measles has been reported in Ocean County, a medical group in Lakewood announced.

CHEMED — the Center for Health Education, Medicine and Dentistry — posted the notice on its website Wednesday. The notice additionally said there are confirmed cases of pertussis — also known as whooping cough — and varicella (chicken pox), but did not say where. Daniel Regenye, public health coordinator for the Ocean County Health Department, confirmed a Lakewood Scoop report that the patient is a 27-year-old man from Lakewood who had returned from an overseas trip a week ago.

Samples were taken from the man on Wednesday and overnighted to the federal Centers for Disease Control, Regenye said. The department hopes to have the results late Friday. In the meantime, the department is urging across Ocean County to make sure they are up to date on their vaccinations, not just for measles but also for pertussis, which has seen a resurgence recently, he said. In 2017 there were 17 confirmed cases of pertussis in Ocean County.

Measles is very contagious, he said, spread through the air by people coughing or sneezing, but the virus also can live on surfaces for up to two hours. "There is a very real danger for those who are not immunized, such as infants and those who are immuno-compromised, who may come in contact with an infected person," the CHEMED notice said.

"This is an easily preventable disease," Regenye said. He said it has been a while since Ocean County had a confirmed case but noted there was at least one case of measles in New Jersey in 2017. Most of these cases are related to international travel, because vaccination levels among residents are lower.

Measles starts with fever. Soon after, it causes a cough, runny nose, and red eyes. Then a rash of tiny, red spots breaks out. It starts at the head and spreads to the rest of the body, CHEMED said.

Pregnant women who are not immunized against the measles risk exposure to their fetus, which could result in low birth weight, premature birth, miscarriage or death of the fetus, according to the CDC.

It can be a serious in all age groups. However, children younger than 5 years of age and adults older than 20 years of age are more likely to suffer from measles complications, the CDC said.

