Measles virus found in wastewater at treatment plant in Essex County
Testing wastewater has become a common form of tracking infectious disease. There are over 400 sites around the U.S. where sewage is being tested.
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Measles can cause rash on the body, high fever, and in some case cardiovascular failure. It can also be spread very easily among people especially those who aren’t vaccinated.
In this case, the New Jersey Department of Health says the wastewater sample was taken at a facility in Essex County which serves an entire region.
So, it’s not clear where it came from or whether it may have come from someone passing through Newark Airport.
Dr. Steven Goldberg is the Chief Medical Officer for HealthTrackRx. He says the finding underscores the importance of vaccination which is down statewide.
“Over the past decade for example in New Jersey we’ve seen children’s immunization rates for measles drop from 96% to 93%. That makes it likely that many children are coming to school not protected and they can infect others," said Dr. Steven Goldberg.
The last confirmed case of measles in New Jersey was last October.
The Department of Health says at this time there are no clinical cases currently identified.
