By Ana B. Ibarra | CalMatters
California public well being officers are intently monitoring two residents who not too long ago examined constructive for measles. Officers are on excessive alert given ongoing measles outbreaks in Texas, New Mexico and overseas.
The Los Angeles and Fresno public well being departments every disclosed a case on Tuesday. In each circumstances, the contaminated people had traveled internationally, officers stated. To date this 12 months, the California Division of Public Well being has confirmed a complete of 5 circumstances. No deaths have been reported right here. Nationally, greater than 250 circumstances have been confirmed, the overwhelming majority out of West Texas, the place final month one unvaccinated baby died.
L.A. well being officers of their announcement stated the person who examined constructive for measles arrived at LAX on March 5 on a China Airways flight. The town’s public well being division is working with the U.S. Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention to inform individuals who had been on that flight and should have been uncovered, division officers stated. Final month, Orange County well being officers confirmed a case of an toddler who had additionally traveled via LAX.
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Dr. Rais Vohra, Fresno County’s well being officer, stated on Wednesday that the unvaccinated grownup who examined constructive there had additionally not too long ago traveled, however wouldn’t say the place, noting the individual was not infectious in the course of the flight.
Fresno’s public well being division notified Madera well being officers of the case as a result of that individual not too long ago attended a big faith-based conference in Madera County. Dr. Simon Paul, Madera’s well being officer, stated his division has been working to inform eventgoers of the doable publicity.
Well being officers say the perfect safety is to get the 2 beneficial doses of the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine. Individuals who have no idea if they’ve been vaccinated in opposition to measles can acquire a blood check to test for antibodies.
RELATED: As Texas outbreak grows, California’s measles vaccination price struggles to get better after pandemic
In California, which has a few of the strictest vaccine guidelines within the nation, about 97% of school-aged kids are vaccinated in opposition to measles.
Vohra added vaccination is particularly pressing for folks planning worldwide journey this spring and summer time, as many different nations are presently experiencing outbreaks. Infants are usually at highest danger of falling ailing as a result of most don’t get the primary dose of the MMR vaccine till 12-15 months of age, in line with the CDC.”
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