Suspected case of the measles in Cohasset

COHASSET, Mass. -- There's a suspected case of the measles in Cohasset. Health officials are warning parents at a nursery school to watch for symptoms.

As little ones show up for the afternoon session at the South Shore Nursery School parents are hoping for news that the suspected case of measles there does not turn out to be an actual case of measles.

“They gave us a timeframe of when the child was here,” said Ashley Caulfield, parent.

But school officials really did not go beyond that according to parents. Jennifer Joyce wound up taking her 5-year-old Ben to the pediatrician.

“It’s a small school, so I think that he has been exposed but not directly,” said Joyce. “But we’re not sure so just to play safe we went to get him his booster shot.”

So far this year there have been 17 cases of the measles in Massachusetts, including a worker at the French consulate in Boston’s Back Bay and an employee at South Station.

Recently there have been measles cases involving young children, including two elementary school kids in Brookline and a 23-month-old toddler in Boston just last week.

Health officials say the increase in measles cases is being connected to the measles outbreak that is going on in Europe.

“It’s her last official day of school and tomorrow’s graduation…I don’t want her to miss both of those so I can’t just stay home and hide from it. I’m going to hope for the best…hope that she didn’t get exposed and hope that the child that is sick gets better,” said Caulfield.

Measles is highly contagious. Symptoms include fever, dry cough, runny nose and a skin rash.

Health officials say that right now there are actually several suspected measles cases across the state.

(Copyright (c) 2011 Sunbeam Television. The Associated Press contributed to this report. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)