Officials investigate measles cases across 3 NorCal counties
Confirmed cases are part of measles cluster, health officials say
Confirmed cases are part of measles cluster, health officials say
Confirmed cases are part of measles cluster, health officials say
Health officials are investigating three cases of the measles across three Northern California counties.
The cases are part of a cluster impacting Shasta, Butte and Tehama counties, Shasta County health officials said Sunday. Officials said a patient in Shasta County traveled to locations in the three counties during a contagious period for the measles and could have spread the virus.
The patient in Shasta County is currently in isolation in order to prevent the further spread of the illness, the Tehama County Health Department said Monday.
In Butte County, two unvaccinated adults contracted the virus. Butte County health officials said Sunday that both patients are past their infectious period and can no longer spread the measles.
Health officials in the three counties are working to contact anyone who may have been in contact with the patients. Below is a list of places and times during which people may have been exposed to the measles:
Shasta County:
- Taco Bell on Old Alturas Rd. in Redding on March 16 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. and March 17 from 6 a.m. to noon.
- The Raley’s Supermarket on Lake Boulevard in Redding on March 18 around 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.
- The Shasta College 800 Building on March 19 from 9:30 a.m. to noon and 3:30 p.m. to 5 p.m.
- The Shasta College Library on March 19 from noon to 4:30 p.m.
- The Raley’s Supermarket on Lake Boulevard in Redding on March 19 from 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Tehama County:
- Wal-Mart on Luther Road in Red Bluff on March 16 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
- The Raley’s Supermarket on Luther Road in Red Bluff on March 18 around 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.
Butte County:
- The Esplanade House, 181 E Shasta Ave., in Chico during the period from March 15 through March 19
People are urged to call their county’s public health department if they were at the above locations during the designated time periods:
- Shasta County: 530-225-5591
- Butte County: 530-353-5564
- Tehama County: 530-527-6824
“The most important step to stop the spread of measles is to get vaccinated,” the Shasta County Health Department said.
The news comes after an unvaccinated child in Calaveras County contracted the measles while traveling overseas.
MEASLES INFORMATION:
Measles is a highly contagious, viral disease that is spread through the air when a person sick with the disease coughs or sneezes.
Infected people are usually contagious from about four days before their rash starts to four days afterwards. People who have received two doses of the measles vaccine have less than 1 percent chance of contracting the disease after exposure.
Symptoms begin with fever, cough, runny nose and red, watery eyes. These symptoms are followed by a rash that typically appears on the face along the hairline or behind the ears and spreads to the rest of the body.
Complications of measles can include diarrhea, ear infections and pneumonia. Severe complications can be fatal. Infants, pregnant women and people with a weakened immune system are more at risk for complications from measles.
Officials said if you are displaying symptoms of the measles, you are urged to call your doctor. You are urged NOT to go out in public, to a clinic, hospital or doctor’s office. Do not go to the doctor’s office before calling ahead.