New case of measles confirmed in Los Angeles County
Measles, a highly contagious infection caused by the measles virus is an airborne disease which spreads easily through the coughs and sneezes of those infected. (Ricardo Funari/Brazil Photos/LightRocket via Getty Images)
LOS ANGELES - Public health officials are investigating a new case of measles in the Los Angeles area and are working to identify others who are at risk for measles.
The patient in this latest case has not been publicly identified.
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health says locations, where the infected person visited potentially exposing others to the airborne disease, include:
• CVS Pharmacy at 4707 Venice Boulevard in Los Angeles on Oct. 19, 2019, between 12 p.m. to 2:30 p.m.
• Ralph's grocery store at 4760 W. Pico Boulevard in Los Angeles on Oct. 19, 2019, between 12:35 p.m. to 3 p.m.
Health officials say anyone who may have been at these locations on these dates during these time frames may be at risk of developing measles for up to 21 days after being exposed and advise they do the following:
• 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.
To date, there have been 20 measles cases in Los Angeles County, and 11 other cases involve non-residents that have traveled through L.A. County.
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Health officials say this new case has been linked to a recent case in L.A. County. They say the majority of cases to date involved individuals that were unimmunized or did not know whether they had ever been immunized.
Measles is highly contagious and can be severe in some cases. Symptoms include fever, cough, red, watery eyes, and a rash. The MMR immunization is a very effective way to prevent contracting the disease, said the L.A. County Department of Public Health.