California Measles Cases Grow To 59; Mostly Disney-Related, Some In Bay Area Counties
ANAHEIM (KCBS) -- Since the end of December the number of confirmed measles cases in California has grown to 59, 42 of which have been connected to an initial exposure in Disneyland in mid-December, public health officials said on Wednesday.
The measles cases have been found in 11 local health jurisdictions, including in Alameda, Santa Clara and San Mateo counties, according to the state Department of Public Health.
The patients range in age between 7 months and 70 years.
State epidemiologist with the California Department of Public Health, Dr. Gil Chavez said the highly- infections disease, which has been officially eradicated in the United States for 15 years spreads easily through the air.
The exposure at Disneyland or Disney California Adventure theme parks in Anaheim between Dec. 15 and 20 has been connected to at least one person in Alameda County.
"We can expect to see many more cases of this vaccine preventable disease unless people take precautionary measures," he said.
Anyone who recently visited places where international travelers congregate, such as airports or theme parks, could have been exposed to measles, public health officials said.
The public health department has determined the vaccination status of 34 of the 59 measles cases and of those 34, 28 people who contracted measles were unvaccinated. One of the other six had one dose of the vaccine and five had two or more doses.
Two or more doses of the measles vaccine are considered 99 percent effective in preventing the disease.
"People who are unvaccinated should know that there's presently a risk for acquiring measles in California," Chavez said.
Anyone who thinks they already have the disease should contact their doctor.
Symptoms of measles begin with fever, cough and runny nose and red eyes and within a few days a red rash appears, usually first on the face and spreading downward to the rest of the body.
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