The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health is investigating a new case of measles. The case involves a Los Angeles County resident who recently returned from a visit to Texas. Since the outbreak of the disease in the U.S. this year, there have been 646 confirmed cases reported by the Texas Department of State Health Services. Two unvaccinated school children in that state have died as a result of the outbreak.
The disease is spreading to other states as well. So far, more than 800 cases have been confirmed by the Centers for Disease Control, 9 in California. This is the third case reported by county health officials. They say exposure to measles should not be taken lightly.
“Measles is a serious respiratory disease that spreads easily through the air and on surfaces, particularly among people who are not already protected from it,” said Muntu Davis, MD, MPH, Los Angeles County Health Officer, in a news release last Friday.“ A person can spread the illness to others before they have symptoms, and it can take seven to twenty-one days for symptoms to show up after exposure. Measles can lead to severe disease in young children and vulnerable adults. The best way to protect yourself and your family from infection is with the highly effective measles vaccine.”
The Golden State has some of the highest childhood vaccination rates in the nation. The MMR vaccine protects against measles, mumps, and rubella. All states require the vaccine, but some allow religious and personal beliefs exceptions. California does not allow non-medical exceptions and has strict restrictions for other exceptions. The latest data for the 2023-2024 school year found that over 96% of school kindergartners in California had received the MMR vaccine.
