Measles Detected in Fairfield County Wastewater Serving Stamford and Darien

Health officials have detected measles in wastewater samples from a sewershed serving Stamford and Darien, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Wastewater Surveillance System.

The CDC data shows positive samples for “wild-type” measles in the weeks ending February 7 and January 31 from the Fairfield County sewershed, according to agency records. No confirmed measles cases have been reported to the Stamford Department of Health and Human Services as of Tuesday, according to department director Jody Bishop-Pullan.

“A detection of wild-type measles virus in wastewater means that people who currently have or recently had measles may be present in the community,” the CDC explains in its guidance. “This could include people who live or work in the community, or those who traveled through the community.”

Bishop-Pullan said the wastewater surveillance serves as an early warning system for potential cases in the area. “The wastewater surveillance is a leading indicator that there could be a case,” she said. “We’re most prepared with how we would respond should there be a confirmed case reported to the department.”

The positive sample could result from someone shedding the virus while passing through or visiting the community rather than living there, according to Bishop-Pullan. However, she emphasized the importance of remaining alert to potential exposures.

“We know from COVID that there are no walls between our communities,” Bishop-Pullan said. “So even if the case doesn’t belong to a certain community, there’s still potential for many folks in the area to be exposed.”

Dr. Manisha Juthani, commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Public Health, cautioned that measles positivity in wastewater does not guarantee cases will be found in the general public. “We have had positivity like this before, and it has not resulted in a detectable case,” Juthani said. “But it does let us know that there was somebody who at least has been shedding the virus.”

Connecticut maintains high vaccination rates, which provides broad community protection, according to Juthani. “We are a very highly vaccinated state, which is a good thing, protecting all of us at large,” she said. “If you are vaccinated, I can’t promise 100%, but a 97%-effective vaccine is quite, quite good.”

The state health commissioner particularly emphasized risks to children from measles infection. “If you have been on the fence about getting your child vaccinated, I would strongly encourage you to talk to a trusted provider, because the measles vaccine is a way to protect your child from a very potentially harmful virus,” Juthani said.

State health officials are collaborating with local health departments to raise community awareness about the possible presence of measles, according to Juthani. Healthcare providers are being advised to maintain heightened vigilance for symptoms including high fever, cough, runny nose, conjunctivitis, and rash.

“We just make sure that providers, who are very aware of this right now given the nationwide situation that we have with measles, to basically have a low index of suspicion when you see something that could be something else but could be measles, and to make sure we test accordingly,” Juthani said.

The wastewater detection follows Connecticut’s identification of its first measles case since 2021 in December, involving a child attending school in Trumbull, according to state health records. The discovery occurs amid the largest measles outbreak the United States has experienced in decades, with cases continuing to spread nationwide.

Health officials stress that rapid identification and testing of suspected cases remains crucial for preventing further transmission within Connecticut communities.