Measles-Infected Disneyland Guest May have Exposed Other Visitors
A person infected with measles visited Disneyland in Anaheim, California, on October 16. According to the state health officials, the infected person may have exposed other guests who visited the theme park. The health officials urged visitors, who were present in Disneyland between 9:15 a.m. and 8:35 p.m. on that day, to have themselves checked for signs of the disease.
According to the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, apart from visiting the Disneyland, the infected person also went to a Starbucks outlet on South Sepulveda Blvd. in Los Angeles earlier on the same day. Other people who might have been at the coffeehouse outlet between 9:15 a.m. and 8:35 p.m. may also have been exposed to the highly contagious disease. People with a weakened immune system, pregnant women, children and infants are particularly vulnerable to viral disease. The disease is marked with characteristic red spots which are followed by rashes. However, it may take up to three weeks for the symptoms to first show up after being infected.
The health department said in a press release on Tuesday that people who are traveling internationally shall also have themselves checked for signs of the disease to prevent its further spread. According to the health department, there has been a total of 19 reported cases of measles in 2019 in Los Angeles County. Another 11 cases of the disease have been reported among people who were passing through the county.
Los Angeles County Health Officer, Muntu Davis said in a statement, “For those who are not protected, measles is a highly contagious and potentially severe disease that initially causes fever, cough, red, watery eyes, and, finally, a rash. Measles is spread by air and by direct contact even before you know have it. The MMR immunization is a very effective measure to protect yourself and to prevent the unintentional spread of this potentially serious infection to others.”
Martin Samuel is the senior news reporter for All Go News. Samuel covers Healthcare. He was attracted to Journalism from the time of college. He has previously worked for The Times. He thinks we should be dedicated to synthesizing and integrating knowledge for the progress of healthcare and the benefit of society.