L.A. County health officials warn of measles exposure at Westside shops

As the U.S. grapples with its worst measles outbreak in decades, health officials say a person with the measles may have exposed people at several shops on Los Angeles' Westside.

July 25, 2019 1:28 PM PT

Los Angeles County officials warned Thursday that a county resident with measles may have exposed others at several shops on the Westside.

Officials identified businesses in Venice, Brentwood and Santa Monica that the infected person visited, along with a coffee shop in downtown L.A., over a three-day period last week.

The news comes as the country grapples with its worst measles outbreak in decades. As of July 21, 1,148 people nationwide had been diagnosed with measles this year, compared with 372 people in all 2018.

Considered one of the most contagious diseases in the world, measles spreads through coughing and sneezing, but can linger in the air for up to two hours after an infected person leaves the room.

There have been 61 recorded cases of measles in California this year so far. Officials urge anyone who has not been vaccinated to get immunized; most people who have gotten measles this year were not immunized.

“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,” L.A. County health officer Dr. Muntu Davis said in a statement. He said victims can be infected without even knowing they were exposed and he called the measles vaccine “a very effective measure” to prevent the spread of the disease.

Officials listed the following exposure sites and advised that anyone there at the noted times should monitor themselves for measles symptoms for 21 days:

On July 14: