
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: THURSDAY, April 26, 1990                   TAG: 9004260660
SECTION: VIRGINIA                    PAGE: B3   EDITION: EVENING 
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: RICHMOND                                LENGTH: Short

MEASLES SHOTS URGED FOR CHILDREN AFTER OUTBREAK IN STATE

State health officials are urging parents to have children immunized against measles after an outbreak of the potentially deadly disease in Northern Virginia.

"In the 1950s there wasn't much you could do about measles, so kids just stayed home from school. Now with immunization this is an easily preventable disease, so we try to get right on it," said Ian Williams of the state immunization office. "It's a pretty serious thing."

Five confirmed measles cases in Prince William County are likely related to 29 recent cases in Prince William and Fairfax counties and the city of Alexandria, the state's immunization office said Wednesday.

"It's in the general population. There doesn't seem to be any one common source," Williams said. The state recommends immunization for children at 15 months.

The Prince William Health District is encouraging parents to watch for measles symptoms following the report of six cases since Friday. State Health Department testing confirmed five of those cases Wednesday. The sixth was negative, Williams said.

Thirty-four cases of measles have been confirmed in Northern Virginia since Jan. 1., Williams said.

by CNB