Sacramento >> As of Jan. 27, the California Department of Public Health reported that there are 73 confirmed cases of measles in California residents. Additional suspected cases are under investigation. Fourteen additional cases have been confirmed in other states and Mexico. Almost half of the early cases are known to have been unvaccinated.
There have been no reported hospital cases of measles in Lake County to date.
Measles, also called rubeola, is a highly contagious respiratory infection that’s caused by a virus. It causes a total-body skin rash and flu-like symptoms, including a fever, cough, and runny nose. Twenty million cases occur worldwide every year.
Measles is highly contagious — 90 percent of people who haven’t been vaccinated for measles will get it if they live in the same household as an infected person. Measles is spread when someone comes in direct contact with infected droplets or when someone with measles sneezes or coughs and spreads virus droplets through the air. A person with measles is contagious from one to two days before symptoms start until about four days after the rash appears. Since measles is caused by a virus, there is no specific medical treatment, and the virus has to run its course. A child who is sick should be sure to receive plenty of fluids, rest and be kept from spreading the infection to others. Persons who think that they may have the measles should phone their primary care provider prior to going to the office.
Children with measles should be closely watched. In some cases, measles can lead to other complications, such as otitis media (ear infection), croup, diarrhea, pneumonia and encephalitis (a serious brain infection), which may require antibiotics or hospitalization. The impact on teens and adults can also be particularly hard.
