2nd Measles Case Reported in San Diego County

By Austin Schoonmaker | August 21, 2019

Several weeks after the first reported case of measles in San Diego County popped up, health officials are reporting a second confirmed case. The newly diagnosed person may have exposed other people at two separate locations in the county. The person was fully immunized but was exposed to measles after coming into contact with an 11-month old San Diego resident that contracted the virus after a recent trip to the Philippines. 

This marks a rare case in which a person contracts the virus despite immunizations. While the infection will not be as severe in an immunized patient, the virus is still infectious, and exposure to other people remains a risk.

The areas in question where the newly diagnosed person may have exposed the public include the following locations:

• 85 ̊ C Bakery Café, 3361 Rosecrans Street, on Aug. 15, 16, 17 and 18 from 6 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
• Ralph’s, 3011 Alta View Drive, on Aug. 16 from approximately 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

So far, health officials are continuing to investigate the situation to see if others were exposed to in these locations. They say there is potential for other locations to be identified as of yet. 

“If you were at any of the locations at the dates and times listed, you should watch for symptoms of measles and call your healthcare provider if you show any signs of developing the disease,” said Dean Sidelinger, M.D., M.S.Ed., County interim deputy public health officer. “Measles is a very contagious disease that can be easily spread by coughing, sneezing or being in the same room with an infected person.”

Symptoms usually develop over the course of seven to 21 days after exposure. These symptoms include fever, cough, runny nose, and red eyes. A red rash will usually appear one to four days after infection, but a person is considered contagious before it appears. 

The San Diego County Health and Human Services Agency is asking for all who may have been in these locations to check with their healthcare providers to make sure they have been vaccinated and to ascertain if they are at risk of infection. Those that are already exhibiting symptoms should call their doctors office ahead of time rather than just showing up, so proper infection control measures can be implemented and no others are at risk of exposure. 

For more information about measles, other vaccine-preventable diseases and the shots that protect against them, please call the HHSA Immunization Branch at (866) 358-2966 or visit the website at www.sdiz.org.