The Tuolumne County Public Health Department has confirmed two Tuolumne County residents, one adult and one person under age 18, have tested positive for measles in cases first reported by the agency on Tuesday.
The two individuals who have tested positive for measles live in the same household and had recently traveled internationally, county Public Health said in a statement distributed Wednesday night.
“Vaccination status for both cases is unconfirmed at this time,” county Public Health said.
Public Health is working to identify and contact those who may have been exposed to measles through the two individuals who have tested positive.
Potential risk of exposure to measles from the two positive measles cases occurred March 10 and March 11 at Summerville High School and at Adventist Health Sonora’s Emergency Department late March 15 and early March 16, county Public Health staff said earlier this week. Summerville High School has coordinated closely with Public Health.
“We understand that there may be a lot of questions and concerns,” Tuolumne County Public Health Director Michelle Jachetta said in the Wednesday statement. “The investigation is still ongoing, and we will provide updates as they are available. We want to remind the public that measles is a highly contagious disease and to take steps to protect yourself and your family by ensuring current vaccination status for measles, monitoring for symptoms, and staying home when you feel sick.”
There have been five cases of measles reported in California so far this year — zero in January, three in February, and two in March. For more information about measles and statewide trends see www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/Pages/Immunization/measles.aspx.
Measles is a highly infectious disease. Exposed individuals should monitor themselves for symptoms and confirm if they have up-to-date measles vaccinations. If they have not had measles in the past, and have not yet obtained the measles vaccine, they are at risk of contracting measles if they have been exposed.
Unimmunized persons or those with unknown immunization status who were at Summerville High on March 10-11 or Adventist Health Sonora’s Emergency Department on March 15-16 are at risk of developing measles from 7 to 21 days after being exposed and should monitor for symptoms, county Public Health staff said.
Exposed individuals who have been free of symptoms for more than 21 days after exposure are no longer at risk.
People who may have been exposed at the times and locations above should:
• Review their immunization and medical records to determine if they are protected against measles. People who have not had measles infection or received the measles immunization previously may not be protected from the measles virus and should talk with a healthcare provider about receiving a measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine, also known as MMR, or Proquad, a brand name for a combination measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella vaccine.
• Monitor themselves for illness with fever and/or an unexplained rash from 7 days to 21 days after their exposure. Symptoms may develop from one week to three weeks after exposure.
• If symptoms develop, they should isolate themselves at home, avoid contact with others, and talk to their healthcare providers. Call ahead of visits to healthcare facilities and make them aware of potential measles exposure and symptoms. The county Public Health Department can assist healthcare providers in appropriately diagnosing and managing your care.
Aside from being highly contagious, measles is a serious and potentially deadly disease, especially dangerous for babies and young children, with complications like pneumonia and encephalitis, and the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends vaccination as the best protection.
The cases in the county come as more than 300 measles cases have been reported in the United States since January, according to the CDC. Most of the cases stem from an outbreak in Texas, where health officials confirmed 279 cases earlier this week.
Of the 301 U.S. measles cases confirmed by the CDC as of last week, two people have died and 50 have been hospitalized. The disease has been considered eradicated in the U.S. since 2000, though outbreaks have occurred in areas where vaccination rates are low.
Contact Guy McCarthy at gmccarthy@uniondemocrat.net or (209) 770-0405. Follow him on X, formerly Twitter, at @GuyMcCarthy.