A gym in East Sonora was added to the list of places where people may have been exposed to measles following the recent confirmation of two cases in Tuolumne County, public health officials said.
Anyone who was at Sonora Sports and Fitness Center’s back gym, back swimming pool and associated locker rooms or restrooms between 3 and 7 p.m. March 10 is urged to review their measles vaccination status and monitor themselves for symptoms, the county Public Health Department stated in a news release Thursday night.
Other locations previously identified for potential measles exposure included Summerville High School on March 10-11 and Adventist Health Sonora’s emergency department on March 15-16.
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 their care.
The department confirmed on Wednesday that two county residents, an adult and child under 18, had tested positive for measles. Both live in the same household and had recently traveled internationally.
Measles is a highly contagious and potentially deadly disease most often associated with a high fever and rash. Other potential symptoms include cough, a runny nose and red or watery eyes.
People exposed to the disease should monitor themselves for symptoms and confirm if they have up-to-date measles vaccinations, the county Public Health Department said. Those at the highest risk include unvaccinated individuals, especially children, pregnant women, those with weakened immune systems, and infants younger than a year old.
Anyone who has been exposed to measles and hasn’t had any symptoms for more than 21 days is considered no longer at risk.
The two measles cases in the county are among more than 300 that have been reported in the United States since January as part of an outbreak that’s been mostly centered around a town in West Texas, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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.
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, go to www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/CID/DCDC/Pages/Immunization/measles.aspx.