TOMS RIVER, NJ — The Toms River office of the New Jersey's Motor Vehicles Commission has been shut down temporarily after employees in the office were exposed to someone with measles, the Ocean County Health Department said Thursday.

There are 12 confirmed cases of measles and 11 that are under investigation as of Nov. 15, the health department said, and the list of places where people have potentially been exposed is growing.

The exposure at the Toms River MVC office on Hooper Avenue happened Nov. 7 between 2:30 p.m. and 5:15 p.m. , the health department said. The office will be closed until Monday, Nov. 19, they said. Other offices in the area will be open in the meantime and can be found by clicking here.

Other places where people may have been exposed to those contagious with the measles include:

  • CHEMED Health Center, 1771 Madison Ave, Lakewood, NJ 08701
    • Oct. 30 between 9:20 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.
    • Oct. 31 between 8:45 a.m. and 1 p.m.
    • Nov. 1 from 10:15 p.m. to close
  • Four Corners Bagel & Café, 150 James St, Lakewood, NJ 08701
    • Oct. 31 between 12:30 p.m. and 3 p.m.
  • NPGS, 231 Main St, Lakewood, NJ 08701
    • Oct. 25 between 9 a.m. and 12 p.m.
    • Oct. 29 between 2:15 p.m. and 4:45 p.m.
  • Office of Dr. Eli Eilenberg, 150 James St, Lakewood, NJ 08701
    • Oct. 31 between 11:15 a.m. and 2:45 p.m.
    • Nov. 1 between 12:00 p.m. and 4:30 p.m.
  • Pizza Plus, 241 4th St, Lakewood, NJ 08701
    • Oct. 28 between 12:30 p.m. and 3:30 p.m.
  • Schul Satmar, 405 Forest Avenue, Lakewood, NJ 08701
    • Oct. 28 – Nov. 1 between 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. daily
    • Oct. 28 – Oct. 31 between 6:30 p.m. and 12:30 a.m. (morning of Nov. 1)
    • Nov. 1 between 6:30 p.m. and 10 p.m.
  • Fountain Ballroom, 725 Vassar Ave, Lakewood, NJ 08701
    • Oct. 30-Oct. 31 between 6:00 p.m. and 1:30 a.m.
  • Mesivta of Eatontown, 1300 New Hampshire Ave, Lakewood, NJ 08701 and 107 East Harvard St, Lakewood, NJ 08701
    • Nov. 6-Nov. 9
  • Bais Shalom AKA Alumni, 345 9th St, Lakewood, NJ 08701
    • Nov. 6 between 1:15 and 6:45 p.m.

The Ocean County Health Department is working diligently to identify and notify people who might have been exposed during the time the individuals were infectious, officials said. The virus can take 5 to 21 days to appear, meaning it could be Dec. 1 before some of those people exposed most recently are clear.

The outbreak began in October, when a Lakewood man who returned from a trip overseas came down with the virus. In the days since, hundreds have sought vaccinations against the virus, which can have serious complications for children or anyone with a compromised immune system.

Nearly 50 teachers threatened to stay away from private schools in Lakewood if students who are not vaccinated were allowed into school after the weekend. The county health department said it "continues to support and highly encourage the exclusion of unvaccinated children from schools, preschools and daycares in the outbreak area," and that children involved with exposure to a confirmed case may be subject to an order of exclusion, if unvaccinated.

The Lakewood Scoop reported private schools were barring unvaccinated students in the wake of the teachers' threat.

People are reminded to check their immunization records and if there is any sign of symptoms to contact your healthcare provider prior to showing up at that provider's office so that appropriate arrangements can be made for examination or treatment.

The county health department issued the following reminders with regard to the potential for spreading the virus:

  • The potential for spreading infection exists four days prior and four days after a measles rash onset.
  • People can become ill from measles from 5 to 21 days after being exposed to the virus.
  • Measles-like symptoms include fever, rash, runny nose, cough, loss of appetite and pink eye.
  • Measles can spread through coughing and sneezing and can live on surfaces and in the air for up to two hours
  • 30 percent of measles cases involve additional serious health complications.

The Ocean County Health Department continues to communicate and coordinate daily with the
State of New Jersey Department of Health and other healthcare providers in response to the
measles outbreak.