Just over New Jersey’s borders, viral outbreaks are continuing to plague towns and communities, sickening dozens and dozens of people in neighboring states.
There aren’t military helicopters flying overhead with soldiers in biohazard suits. But just to our north, a community in Rockland County, New York, is experiencing the worst measles outbreak that state has seen in decades.
In New Jersey, a measles outbreak continues, with seven cases in Ocean and two in Monmouth counties. Cases were previously reported in Bergen and Essex counties.
To our southwest at nearby Temple University in Philadelphia, a mumps outbreak has been raging on, with 134 people now sickened, according to 6abc.com.
So how concerned should we be? Is there a chance any of these outbreaks could spread further into New Jersey?
“I think there are risks for either of these to spread,” Dr. David Cennimo, an infectious disease expert at Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, said in a text message.
He noted that the outbreak at Temple is “probably being spread through closer contacts” within the community, whereas the measles outbreak has been linked to under-vaccinated populations. But both certainly have the potential to worsen, he said.
There’s no reason to freak out, experts say. Though measles and mumps are both highly contagious viruses, if you’ve been vaccinated, you’re likely fine, even if you’ve traveled to those areas or are planning to.
The measles outbreak in Rockland has mainly been affecting ultra-Orthodox Jewish communities, where vaccination rates tend to be lower and anti-vaccination sentiments quite common. In Rockland, things have gotten so bad that county officials recently declared a state of emergency, barring unvaccinated children and teenagers from public places.
A similar situation is being experienced in Lakewood, Ocean County, which recently declared its second measles outbreak in the past five months.
While the outbreak at Temple University has continued to intensify, it differs from the measles outbreaks we’re seeing. The puzzling issue at Temple is that a vast majority of students had already been inoculated with the MMR vaccine, which protects against measles, mumps and rubella.
While the MMR is quite effective against measles, it can diminish over time for mumps, experts say.
When it comes mumps, “the vaccine is nowhere near 100 percent effective,” Dr. Glenn Fennelly, chair of pediatrics, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, told NJ Advance Media last month.
Which is why the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has recommended a third dose of MMR in an outbreak situation.
Fennelly noted that unless you live in an area where there is an ongoing outbreak, a third dose is probably unnecessary.
Spencer Kent may be reached at skent@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @SpencerMKent. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
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