Meadville Medical Center is warning that patients and visitors who used its emergency department on Tuesday, Oct. 13, may have been exposed to measles.

The possible exposure ran from 9:26 a.m. to 3:50 p.m. and covers the emergency room entrance, the emergency room, radiology areas and restrooms by the emergency room, the hospital said in a notice published Oct. 22.

Measles symptoms may appear 7 to 21 days after contact with the virus. Anyone who used the emergency department entrance that day should monitor for symptoms until Nov. 3, 2026.

Symptoms to watch for include a high fever that may spike to 104 degrees, cough, runny nose and red, watery eyes. Two to three days later, tiny white spots known as Koplik spots may appear inside the mouth. A rash is usually the last symptom to appear, typically three to five days after the first symptoms, beginning as flat red spots at the hairline on the face and spreading downward to the neck, trunk, arms, legs and feet.

Anyone who has had measles or has received two doses of the measles vaccine is considered immune and at low risk, but should still monitor for symptoms. Anyone who has not had measles and did not receive the vaccine should quarantine until Nov. 3.

The hospital says getting the MMR vaccine is the best protection from the highly contagious virus, providing 97 percent lifetime protection after two doses.

Anyone who develops symptoms and needs to be seen by a health care provider should notify their family medicine provider first and call before arriving, to limit exposure to others. People with symptoms can also call the Pennsylvania Department of Health’s toll-free hotline at 877-724-3258. More information is available at pa.gov/measles.

The warning follows the county’s first confirmed measles case since 2019, reported by the Pennsylvania Department of Health on Oct. 21.

By the Conneaut Valley Post