Potential exposure October 16
By Sam Catanzaro
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (Public Health) is investigating an additional confirmed case of measles in a Los Angeles County resident who visited a Starbucks in Westwood on October 15 before visiting another nearby Starbucks on October 16.
Potential public exposure location and times were as follows:
- Oct. 15, 2019, 7:20 a.m. to 9:35 a.m. – Starbucks, 2215 Westwood Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90064
- October 16, 2019, 7:50 a.m. to 10:00 a.m. – Starbucks, 3006 S. Sepulveda Blvd., Los Angeles CA 90034
- October 16, 2019, 9:15 a.m. to 8:35 p.m. – Disneyland, Anaheim, CA
- Oct. 17, 2019, 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. – Factor’s Famous Deli, 9420 West Pico Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90035
Anyone who may have been at these locations on these dates during these timeframes may be at risk of developing measles for up to 21 days after being exposed and should:
- Review their immunization and medical records to determine if they are protected against measles. People who have not had measles infection previously or received the measles immunization may not be immune and should talk with a health care provider about receiving measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) immunization.
- Contact and notify their health care provider as soon as possible about a potential exposure if they are pregnant, an infant, have a weakened immune system and/or are unimmunized.
- Monitor themselves for illness with fever and/or an unexplained rash from 7 days to 21 days after their exposure (the time period when symptoms may develop); if symptoms develop, stay at home and call a healthcare provider immediately.
Currently, there have been 19 measles cases among Los Angeles County residents in 2019, in addition to 11 non- resident measles cases that traveled through Los Angeles County (excluding Long Beach and Pasadena as cases identified in those cities are reported by their local health departments). The majority of cases to date were unimmunized or did not know whether they had ever been immunized.
“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,” said Muntu Davis, MD, MPH, Los Angeles County Health Officer. “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.”
Additional cases and exposures may occur here related to returning travelers, especially returning international travelers who are not already protected against measles. Travelers taking domestic trips should follow the general Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) vaccination recommendations. Those traveling internationally should ensure they have received two doses and consider the expedited schedule for infants less than 12 months old.
