Authorities in the Los Angeles area are working to contain a small measles outbreak after an unvaccinated traveler infected four individuals with the virus.
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health announced Wednesday that an “unimmunized, international visitor” infected four other individuals with measles. The county released a list of 33 places where people infected with the disease had visited since Jan. 26.
The list included several high-traffic shops and restaurants, including a Starbucks, a Whole Foods, and a Buffalo Wild Wings. The department warned that infants and unvaccinated people could have been infected if they were in any of the 33 shops listed at the same time as the infected person. The department also warned that individuals may not present measles symptoms until 21 days after being infected.
Los Angeles County Health Officer Dr. Muntu Davis explained, “For those who are not protected, measles is a highly contagious and potentially severe disease that initially causes fever, cough, red, watery eyes, and, finally, a rash. Measles is spread by air and by direct contact even before you know have it. The MMR immunization is a very effective measure to protect yourself and to prevent the unintentional spread of this potentially serious infection to others.”
The department urged individuals to review their vaccination history to confirm that they are protected from the disease.
Measles outbreaks have become common in the past few years, including a massive outbreak in New York City that led to nearly 1,000 confirmed cases, the most in 27 years. To contain the disease, the city banned unvaccinated children from public spaces.
