Santa Cruz County Public Health officials are warning residents that someone with a confirmed case of Measles dined at a Santa Cruz taqueria on July 1.
Anyone who is unvaccinated and was at Taqueria Los Pericos at 139 Water St. between 6 and 10pm is especially at risk of developing measles from 7 to 21 days after being exposed.
These individuals should do the following:
- Review immunization and medical records to determine if they are protected against measles. People who have not had measles infection previously, or who have not received the measles immunization, may not be protected from the measles virus. These individuals should talk with a healthcare provider about receiving measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) immunization.
- Contact their health care provider by phone or email as soon as possible about a potential exposure if they are pregnant, have an infant, or have a weakened immune system regardless of vaccination history.
- Do not go to a provider or emergency room for potential exposure.
- Monitor for symptoms such as fever and/or an unexplained rash from 7 days to 21 days after exposure. If symptoms develop, stay at home and call a healthcare provider immediately.
- Anyone who becomes ill should wear a mask and inform the registration staff that you have had a measles exposure so that appropriate isolation can occur in the healthcare setting.
Measles is a highly contagious viral illness that typically begins with a mild to moderate fever accompanied by cough, runny nose, and red/watery eyes.
Some cases also report diarrhea, nausea and vomiting.
Two to three days later there is generally a fever and a red, blotchy rash appears, usually first on the face. This rash rapidly spreads downward to the chest and back and finally to the thighs and feet. The rash fades after about a week.
Measles is spread through the respiratory route and can live in the air for up to an hour in the airspace where an infectious person has coughed or sneezed.
Other people can become infected by breathing the contaminated air. The time from being infected with the virus to developing symptoms can be as long as 21 days but is typically 9-12 days.
Anyone diagnosed with measles or suspected of having measles should stay home for four days after the onset of the rash. However, infected people without symptoms of measles may still be able to transmit the virus.
Vaccination against measles is the best protection against measles infection.
