
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: WEDNESDAY, February 13, 1991                   TAG: 9102130416
SECTION: NATIONAL/INTERNATIONAL                    PAGE: A-2   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE: PHILADELPHIA                                LENGTH: Short

SCHOOL CLOSES AFTER MEASLES KILLS 2 GIRLS

A school run by a religious group that rejects medical care was closed by the city after a measles outbreak killed a girl. A second girl died after the shutdown.

City health officials said neither of the girls, students at a school run by Faith Tabernacle Congregation, was immunized against measles and their families did not seek medical attention until they were near death.

Ninety unconfirmed measles cases at the school were discovered by health officials who called parents of students, said Robert Ross, deputy health commissioner. The school has 204 students.

A measles epidemic in Philadelphia has caused four deaths this winter, said Robert Sharrar, assistant city health commissioner for disease prevention. There were 266 confirmed cases of measles in the city in 1990 and 107 cases already for 1991.

- Associated Press

by CNB