Possible measles exposure reported at Tuolumne County school and emergency room
Tuolumne County Public Health officials on Tuesday warned about possible measles exposure at a high school and an emergency room.
The agency said there are two possible measles cases in the county, one at Summerville High School in Tuolumne where the possibility of exposure could have occurred between March 10 and March 11.
The other possible exposure was at the Adventist Health Sonora Emergency Department between late March 15 and early March 16.
In an update Wednesday, health officials confirmed the two suspected cases were confirmed positive for measles. Their vaccination status at this time is not known.
Health officials said the two cases are from the same household and stem from traveling internationally.
Health officials want people who may have been exposed to check if their vaccinations are up to date. If not, or if they have not had measles in the past, they are at risk of contracting measles.
People who have been exposed should watch for symptoms between seven to 21 days.
- High fever (higher than 101° F)
- Cough
- Runny nose
- Red and watery eyes
- Rash three to five days after other signs of illness. The "measles rash" typically starts at the face and then spreads down to the rest of the body.
After 21 days, if there were no symptoms, there is no more risk, the agency said.
Those who develop symptoms should isolate at home, avoid contact with others, and call their health care provider.
Measles is a highly infectious disease that can spread through the air when an infected person breathes, talks, coughs or sneezes, and it can be spread up to four days before a rash appears and up to four days after symptoms develop.
