School-age child from Fairfield County is 4th case of measles this year in Connecticut

The state Department of Public Health Friday confirmed a fourth case of measles in Connecticut this year, coming as officials grapple with the fact that while the state has a high overall immunization rate, school-by-school data show pockets of vulnerability to the measles virus.

The latest case involves a school-age child from Fairfield County, health officials said. The student was not infectious while at school.

The news comes just days after DPH released school-by-school immunization data that show an increase in the number of Connecticut schools where kindergartners are now below the vaccination rate recommended by health officials to shield all children in a given school from a measles outbreak. That increase has been driven by an uptick in students receiving religious exemptions to vaccines.

“We are monitoring and investigating this case very closely, including working with our local health departments and medical providers to follow up with any individuals that may have been exposed to measles,” said Connecticut DPH Commissioner Ren\u00e9e D. Coleman-Mitchell. "Science tells us that the single best thing anyone can do to protect themselves from this highly contagious virus is to get vaccinated. Overall, Connecticut has high vaccination rates, so we are at low risk for a widespread measles outbreak. This latest confirmed case, coupled with declining statewide immunization numbers for measles, is exactly why Governor Lamont and I are recommending repeal of non-medical exemptions for vaccination.”

According to the data released Monday, 134 Connecticut schools had kindergarten classes below the 95% “herd immunity” threshold at the start of the 2018-19 school year, an increase of 31% from the year before. That corresponded with a 25% year-over-year increase in kindergartners who received religious exemptions from vaccination.

Small private schools, including Christian academies and Montessori schools, continued to have high exemption rates across all grades. For example, more than 41% of students at Crossway Christian Academy in Putnam claimed exemptions. At the Housatonic Valley Waldorf School in Newtown, more than 36% of students were not immunized.

Lawmakers tried, unsuccessfully, this past year to eliminate the religious exemption, but ran into a storm of protest from parents who wanted to maintain the religious option. Gov. Ned Lamont and legislators have vowed to redouble their efforts when the legislature returns next year.

The case announced Friday is not related to three previously confirmed cases of measles in Connecticut reported in January and April, health officials said. The child contracted measles in early October. No additional information was released.

DPH is working with local health departments and health care providers to identify and inform people who had contact with the child. It takes an average of 14 days from the time someone is infected with measles until the onset of a rash. Cases are considered infectious from four days before the rash through four days after. People who have contact with the infected person can contract the virus during that time, especially if they have not been vaccinated.

Symptoms of measles include a mild to moderate fever, cough, runny nose, red eyes and sore throat. That’s followed by a red or reddish-brown rash, usually starting on a person’s face and spreading downward.

“If you have a fever and a rash and you think you might have measles, you should avoid public settings and call your healthcare provider BEFORE going directly to a healthcare facility so steps can be taken to avoid possibly exposing others," Coleman-Mitchell said.

From Jan. 1 to Oct. 1 there were 1,249 cases of measles confirmed in 31 states. That’s the highest annual total in 24 years.

Russell Blair can be reached at rblair@courant.com.

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