County health officials have added five new cases to the area’s recent measles outbreak, bringing the number of children confirmed to have the infectious disease to 12 as of Friday, Feb. 15, and exposing more people in more locations than previously thought. They also found two new possible cases not linked to the original.
Last week, a measles outbreak began in La Jolla with a child who had traveled abroad. Health officials said they haven’t seen such an onslaught of the disease for 17 years.
“We have not seen an outbreak of this magnitude since 1991,” said Jose A. Alvarez, public affairs official at the city’s Health and Human Services agency, adding that the agency has contacted parents of the children believed to be at risk and quarantined some exposures. “This is one of the most contagious diseases.”
While Health and Human Services awaits results on an additional two children doctors believe also have the virus, officials for the agency are warning the public about three new locations the infected children visited. The Del Mar Fair Grounds and the Trader Joe’s and Whole Foods Market in Hillcrest were exposed on specific days during specific times. But public health officials said the virus is only active for a short window of time and only affects people who haven’t been vaccinated ” usually children under 12 months and people born before 1957.
“It is extremely important that people, particularly children, who were at the Cirque du Soleil performances or visited the stores on these dates and times are aware that they may have been exposed to measles,” said Wilma Wooten, M.D., M.P.H., County Public Health Officer.
County health officials said one infected child attended a 4 p.m. Cirque du Soleil performance on Jan. 31, exposing people at both the 4 and 8 p.m. performances.
“I would also like to remind the public that the virus only lives for about two hours after it is released into the environment,” Wooten said. “There is no longer a risk of contracting measles at the Del Mar Fair Grounds, Trader Joe’s or Whole Foods Market because of this exposure.”
In one of the more signifant developments, a family took their 11-month-old child on a flight to Hawaii through San Diego’s Lindbergh Field. Upon arrival in Hawaii, health officials say the child developed a rash and was taken to a military base, where authorities confirmed the infant had measles.
Health officials in Hawaii and San Diego continue to notify the public, especially anyone who may have come into contact with Hawaiian Airlines Flight No. 15. According to Alvarez, that flight exposed about 250 people.
Officials are asking anyone near Lindbergh Field, terminal 2, gate 41 from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 9 to watch for signs of exposure.
For more information about vaccinations and the measles, visit Rady Children’s Hospital, San Diego, www.rchsd.org.