Twenty-one residents in California’s Orange County have been diagnosed with measles so far this year and seven of them have been hospitalized.
This outbreak is the worst in two decades, health officials told CBS Los Angeles:
“It’s very contagious, and what we’re trying to do is prevent the exposure and spread,” O.C. Health Deputy Agency Director Eric Handle told the station. “The measles virus can cause inflammation in the brain that can appear immediately, or seven years out.”
The disease, which is highly contagious, can become fatal if the infection spreads to the brain. Outbreaks have also been reported in San Francisco and New York.
If you have not been vaccinated, visit a health clinic to get the MMR vaccine; however, if you’ve noticed symptoms, such as a fever, cough, runny nose and pink eye, health officials urge you to contact your doctor first before you risk spreading the disease.
For more information about measles, visit cdc.gov.
