Los Angeles County is facing a measles threat this March. The FOX LA reported that public health officials have confirmed the year's first case of measles in an LA County resident. The patient journeyed through the Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) on China Airlines flight CAL8/CI8, which landed on March 5.
The concern now is for others who may have crossed paths with the infected individual. Despite not necessarily feeling sick, someone with measles can begin to spread it easily both through the air and via surfaces. Dr. Muntu Davis, the LA County Health Officer, emphasized the contagion risk, "Measles spreads easily through the air and on surfaces, and a person infected with measles can pass it on to others before they feel sick or have symptoms," as obtained by FOX LA.
The Public Health Department and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control are set to notify other passengers seated nearby on the aforementioned flight. However, the infected person also visited several LA County locales post-flight, potentially widening the exposure net. According to details released by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health and mentioned by CBS Los Angeles, individuals who were at LAX's Tom Bradley International Terminal on March 5 from 7 p.m. to 10:40 p.m., Cloud 9 Nail Salon in North Hollywood on March 7 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m., or Superior Grocery Store in El Monte on March 10 between 8:15 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. could have been exposed.
Those concerned about exposure should review their vaccination records. If you haven't gotten the measles vaccine or had the disease previously, contacting your doctor is advised. Check for symptoms: a high fever (over 101° F), cough, runny nose, and a rash that starts on the face and spreads throughout the body. Dr. Davis stressed the value of vaccines: "With measles outbreaks happening both in the United States and internationally, this recent case in our county highlights how important it is for anyone who has not been immunized to get the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine," as he told CBS Los Angeles.
