A nurse readies a syringe during a free vaccination event for students and faculty at Iroquois High School. The event was voluntary for those wishing to receive vaccinations for measles and Covid-19.
San Diego, California – San Diego County public health officials confirmed Friday the region’s first measles case of the year, involving an unvaccinated teenager who recently returned from international travel. The case has prompted an urgent effort to track potential exposures at two local medical facilities.
According to the county, the teen may have exposed others while visiting Scripps Clinic Torrey Pines Urgent Care in La Jolla from 8:53 p.m. on Aug. 6 to 12:26 a.m. on Aug. 7, and Rady Children’s Emergency Department from 11:01 p.m. on Aug. 6 to 5:21 a.m. on Aug. 7. Epidemiologists are working with both facilities to identify patients and staff who may have been in contact with the individual and to verify vaccination records.
“Measles is a very contagious disease that can be spread easily by coughing, sneezing, or being in the same room with an infected person,” said Dr. Ankita Kadakia, the county’s deputy public health officer. She urged anyone who was at the specified locations during those times to monitor for symptoms and contact their health care provider if they develop signs of illness.
The teenager’s case is part of a troubling national trend. As of Aug. 4, California has reported 19 confirmed cases this year. Nationwide, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has tallied 1,359 cases and 32 outbreaks as of Aug. 6. Last year, San Diego County recorded four cases, all linked to travel abroad.
Measles typically develops seven to 21 days after exposure. Early symptoms include fever, cough, runny nose, and red eyes, followed by a distinctive red rash that appears one to four days later. The rash begins on the face and head, spreads downward to the hands and feet, and fades in the same order. A person is contagious from four days before to four days after the rash appears.
While there is no specific treatment for measles, most cases are managed with bed rest, fluids, and fever control. Complications — such as diarrhea, ear infections, and pneumonia — are more common in children under 5 and adults over 20, and can sometimes be fatal.
Kadakia stressed that vaccination remains the most effective defense. The measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine provides strong protection, and is recommended in two doses for most people over 12 months old, with a single dose for infants traveling internationally between 6 and 12 months.
Once declared eliminated in the United States in 2000 thanks to widespread immunization, measles’ resurgence underscores the risk posed by declining vaccination rates and international travel. Officials are urging residents to check their vaccination status — and, if needed, get immunized — to prevent further spread.
