The threat of measles is over for one family whose nursery school-aged child had been in quarantine, along with his mother, for eight days while awaiting blood test results.

Last night, a Government spokesperson said that tests for the first two suspected cases of measles had come back negative, while it is still awaiting the results of the third.

The mother was informed yesterday by a paediatrician that her child was clear of the disease, which had been suspected after the youngster had gone down with a fever and had developed a rash.

“We went to the Emergency Department at the King Edward Memorial Hospital,” she said. “They sent me home. Then I went to the doctor, who said he would have to take blood for tests. He told me that the child and myself couldn’t leave the house, because of the risk of contamination.”

“I was told there are two other cases of measles that are suspected.”

In 2000, the United States declared that measles was eliminated from the country, but a small number of cases have recently been detected there.

When the tests were done, the woman was informed it would take five to seven days for the results to arrive.

The working mother, who wished to remain anonymous, contacted The Royal Gazette after having been housebound for a week and having not yet received the test results.

She said the Ministry of Health had promised her information about measles that she could pass on to her employer. “It’s not sick leave, so I don’t know where I stand,” she explained.

That information never arrived, she said. “Work didn’t want me there, because I’m in contact with the public from time to time,” she said. Now the results are in, she said last night she is free to return to work, and her child can go back to school.

She explained: “There are no testing facilities available for measles in Bermuda.” As a result, samples must be sent overseas for testing. “We were told between five and seven days,” she said. “A lot of us can’t afford that kind of thing. Hopefully this gives some awareness for the public.”

The Government spokesperson explained the quarantine procedure: “For a highly infectious disease such as measles, suspected cases are managed like confirmed cases to reduce possible transmission of infection until the diagnosis is confirmed or ruled out.”

In response to the mother’s claim she did not receive enough information, the Government spokesperson added: “As a practice there is regular and intense health education and information sharing given during case management of individuals during an investigation.

“Case management decisions are made in consultation with all members of the response team.

“The time taken for laboratory testing is dependent on a number of factors beyond our control: patient preferences, laboratory limitations and the nature of the infection being investigated.”