Measles case confirmed at UC Davis Medical Center
The unvaccinated child from Calaveras County who contracted the measles was diagnosed at UC Davis Medical Center last week, health officials confirmed Thursday.
The child contracted the measles while traveling overseas. She was diagnosed during a visit to UC Davis Medical Center on March 17 and is no longer at the hospital, officials said.
The case is one of several confirmed and suspected measles cases that have cropped up recently in Northern California.
Health officials are investigating three cases of the measles in one family in Placer County.
The Placer County Public Health Department said in an update Wednesday that the cases are considered confirmed because they meet the clinical criteria for diagnosis and are linked to other confirmed cases.
In Butte County, two unvaccinated adults contracted the virus, health officials said Sunday. Those cases were connected to a case of the measles in Shasta County. Officials said the cases were part of a measles cluster.
Health officials said the infected Shasta County patient traveled to places in Shasta, Butte and Tehama counties and possibly spread the virus. See the locations here.
In Placer County, officials identified one location where others may have been exposed: Auburn Racquet and Fitness Club on March 18, between 7 p.m. and 9 p.m.
Anyone who was at the club on that day after 7 p.m. and has not received the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine is urged to call the Placer County Public Health Division at 530-889-7183.
So far this year, the California Department of Health has confirmed seven cases of the measles across the state.
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.