Hundreds possibly exposed to measles at UC Davis Medical Center, officials say

(FOX40.COM) — Health officials from UC Davis Medical Center said on Friday that they have begun contacting around 300 people who may have been exposed to measles earlier in the week.

Officials said a child returned from travel outside of the county and was being evaluated for suspected measles on Tuesday.

Around 300 patients and employees were in the Emergency Department at the center around that time, and health officials said they were contacting each person.

Health officials said that only the people “deemed at risk of exposure that afternoon and evening are being contacted.”

Sacramento County officials confirmed that a child with measles was at the ED between 12 p.m. and 5 p.m.

The county said that any unvaccinated persons or those who do not know their vaccination status should contact their health provider as soon as possible if they are pregnant, an infant, have a weakened immune system or are not immunized.

The county asks people to not go in person to their health provider or emergency department for potential exposure, and they should monitor themselves for illness with fever or an unexplained rash from one to three weeks after the exposure.

According to the CDC, measles can cause serious health complications, especially in young children, and are very contagious, spreading through coughs or sneezes.

Although measles is considered eliminated in the U.S., the disease is “brought into the United States by unvaccinated travelers” who likely get the disease in another country.

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