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Chester County high school closed Friday due to confirmed measles case

There were 86 cases of measles reported in Chester County as of Oct. 7.

A box of the Measles,  Mumps and Rubella vaccine sits in a freezer at the Chester County Health Department.
A box of the Measles, Mumps and Rubella vaccine sits in a freezer at the Chester County Health Department.Read moreKriston Jae Bethel / For the Inquirer

Oxford Area High School is closed on Friday after the school district was informed of a confirmed measles case in the community.

Since the Chester County Health Department doesn’t have measles immunity information for all staff members at the school, the health department ordered Oxford Area High School to complete that verification process, which will require classes to be canceled on Oct. 9, Oxford Area School District Superintendent David Woods wrote in a letter to the community.

“We recognize that situations such as this can be unsettling, especially when they involve the health of children. Please know that we are committed to keeping our school community informed, supporting our families, and working in partnership with public health officials to help protect the health and safety of everyone in our schools,” Woods said.

The district already has vaccination information for all students. Woods did not make it clear whether school will reopen on Monday, but said that any person not vaccinated for measles will not be allowed to attend school functions and must be quarantined for 21 days from school and all school functions.

CCHD will contact individuals who may have been exposed to measles and provide specific instructions and recommendations.

Chester County is the only in the Philadelphia region affected by the current outbreak. The county has reported 86 cases this year, as of Wednesday, the third-most in the state.

Pennsylvania is currently experiencing the largest measles outbreak the country has seen in decades, with just over 1,000 cases since the outbreak began in April.

In Chester County, cases have been concentrated along its western border with Lancaster County, which has the highest number of cases in Pennsylvania.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.