Concord, NH – The New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), Division of Public Health Services (DPHS) is investigating a report that an international traveler who visited Hanover, New Hampshire tested positive for measles shortly after returning home. While DHHS is still using all avenues to gather more information about this report, including verification of the visitor’s test results and symptoms, the Department is notifying the public and pursuing an investigation to proactively protect Granite Staters’ health. There are currently no confirmed cases of measles in New Hampshire.
The traveler, who has since returned to and received medical care in their home country, visited Hanover, New Hampshire and the campus of Dartmouth College. Working in partnership with Dartmouth, DHHS has confirmed that the visitor was in the following public places when they were potentially infectious and could have transmitted measles to people who are not immune (i.e. those who have not been previously infected or fully vaccinated):
- June 20-22: Dartmouth College campus, Hanover
- June 20-22: The Hanover Inn, 2 E Wheelock Street, Hanover
- June 20, 3pm: Hanover Scoops, 57 S Main Street, Hanover
- June 20-22: Lou’s Restaurant and Bakery, 30 S Main Street, Hanover (one meal on unknown date and time)
- June 22: Dartmouth Coach Bus from Hanover to Boston Logan Airport (unknown time)
The Department continues to work with all relevant partners to gather more specific details and identify individuals who may have been exposed. In the meantime, DHHS encourages anyone who is not immune, including from vaccination or previous infection, and spent time at the above locations during the specified dates and times to monitor for symptoms of measles.
Symptoms of measles include high fever, cough, runny nose, and watery eyes several days before developing a body rash. To prevent the possibility of spreading the virus, anyone who feels sick should call their healthcare provider before going directly to a healthcare facility.
Measles is a highly contagious but preventable disease. The measles vaccine (MMR vaccine) is safe and effectively protects individuals against measles. The Department encourages Granite Staters to review their vaccination status with their healthcare provider to ensure immunity against measles.
The Department will continue to make available any further information about this investigation that may have an impact on the broader public’s health. Anyone with questions or concerns about this investigation can contact the DPHS Bureau of Infectious Disease Control at 603-271-4496. To learn more about measles, please visit the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention website.
