Los Angeles measles: 12th case reported in a UCLA employee

By NewsDesk @bactiman63

Los Angeles County health officials report investigating the county’s 12th measles case of the year in a University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) employee.

Health officials are looking to identify others who may be at risk for measles and have been exposed to this individual.

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health says other people may have been exposed to measles since public locations were visited by a person with measles while infectious. Potential public exposure location and times include:

7/2/19 & 7/3/19, Court of Sciences Student Center on UCLA Campus (Food court; also known as The Bomb Shelter), 617 Charles E. Young Dr., Los Angeles, CA 90095, 9:00 – 11:30 AM

There is no known current risk related to measles that exists at this venue at this time. This case is not related to the previous measles exposure at UCLA.

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Anyone who may have been at this location on those dates may be at risk of developing measles for up to 21 days after being exposed. People who were in the location above around the same time should:

Review their immunization and medical records to determine if they are protected against measles. People who have not had measles infection previously or received the measles immunization may not be immune and should talk with a health care provider about receiving measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) immunization.

Contact and notify their health care provider as soon as possible about a potential exposure if they are pregnant, an infant, have a weakened immune system and/or are unimmunized.

Monitor themselves for illness with fever and/or an unexplained rash from 7 days to 21 days after their exposure (the time period when symptoms may develop); if symptoms develop, stay at home and call a healthcare provider immediately.

“For those who are not protected, measles is a highly contagious and potentially severe disease that initially causes fever, cough, red, watery eyes, and, finally, a rash,” said Muntu Davis, MD, MPH, Los Angeles County Health Officer. “Measles is spread by air and by direct contact even before you know have it. The MMR immunization is a very effective measure to protect yourself and to prevent the unintentional spread of this potentially serious infection to others.”

How contagious is measles? Answer: Very

Measles is considered among the most contagious viruses in the world. About 90% of people who have never been immunized against measles become ill 7-21 days after exposure. Infected people can infect those around them before they have symptoms and know they are infected. Common symptoms of measles include fever, cough, runny nose, conjunctivitis (red eyes) and a rash which usually appears 10 to 21 days after the exposure. The measles virus can be transmitted from one person to another up to 4 days before the onset of rash.



