Person infected with measles visits Perry restaurant, causing exposure: DPH

Georgia DPH warns of potential measles exposure at the LongHorn Steakhouse in Perry.

PERRY, Ga. — The Georgia Department of Public Health has identified a potential public exposure to measles at a restaurant in Houston County as part of its ongoing investigation into a measles case in Macon County.

DPH said anyone who visited the LongHorn Steakhouse on 100 Hampton Court in Perry on Oct. 7 from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. may have been exposed.

DPH urges anyone who was at the restaurant during that time to check their vaccination status and monitor for measles symptoms. People who are not immune through vaccination or previous infection should watch for symptoms through Oct. 28, according to officials.

Measles symptoms typically develop seven to 14 days after exposure but can take up to 21 days to appear. 

DPH officials said symptoms, including: 

• a high fever
• cough
• runny nose
• watery eyes
• red rash that begins on the head and spreads to the rest of the body

Anyone experiencing measles symptoms should contact their health care provider immediately. Do not go to a doctor’s office, hospital or public health clinic without calling ahead to report symptoms, officials said.

Health care providers who suspect measles should notify public health officials immediately.

Measles is highly contagious and spreads through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes. The virus can remain in the air for up to two hours after an infected person leaves an area.

The measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine provides the best protection against measles. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends two doses for children: the first at 12 to 15 months and the second at 4 to 6 years, according to DPH.

DPH said adults born in 1957 or later should have at least one dose of the MMR vaccine unless they have documented vaccination, laboratory evidence of immunity or laboratory-confirmed measles.

People with questions about their vaccination status should contact their health care provider.

For more information, you can visit dph.georgia.gov/measles-georgia.