A Confirmed Measles Case In Mother Lode

San Andreas, CA – A Calaveras County child has been diagnosed with measles prompting an alert to the public – including individuals in a neighboring county.

Calaveras Public Health Officer, Dr. Dean Kelaita reports the unvaccinated child got the measles after returning to his Valley Springs home from a trip overseas. Health officials are now in the process of notifying people that may have come in contact with the child in both Calaveras and Amador counties. They are offering them information to hopefully prevent the spread of the illness.

“We have seen a decrease in the number of children protected with vaccinations in Calaveras” states Dr. Kelaita. “A person with measles can transmit the infection to others not protected by immunization.”

Measles is a highly contagious airborne viral disease spread by an infected person coughing or sneezing. Kelaita advises the symptoms begin with fever, cough, runny nose and red, watery eyes followed by a rash on the face that spreads to the body.  He adds infected individuals are contagious four days before and four days after the rash appears.

Health officials recommend two doses of the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine during childhood for immunity. They caution that anyone traveling outside the United States should get the full measles vaccination.

“Measles is a completely preventable disease,” notes Dr. Kelaita, who advocates, “Parents should check their children’s shot records and ensure they are fully protected against measles.”

For further information regarding measles contact the Calaveras County Public Health at (209)754-6460.