Measles Sickens 3 in North County

Three people in Carlsbad have contracted the highly contagious disease, according to health officials.

Health officials said a 3-year-old boy and his sister, 6, are believed to have been exposed by a 24-year-old woman who was visiting them who was in the Philippines in March and April. There have been 200 cases of measles reported in the Asian country this year.

"Measles is a highly contagious disease," said Dr. Wilma Wooten, the county's public health officer. "We are working closely with the locations where these individuals visited during the time they were infectious to identify anyone potentially exposed to measles."

None of the people reported in San Diego to have measles were immunized.

"One child was treated at El Camino Pediatrics in the evening on May 10 and during the morning hours of May 12 at Scripps Encinitas Hospital," according to a county health department news release. "The 6-year-old attended Redeemer by the Sea Kindergarten and Preschool in Carlsbad on May 5 and 6, and the 3-year-old attended childcare at Carlsbad Community Church the morning of May 7."

County residents may have been exposed on May 7 at Roundtable Pizza on Marron Road in Oceanside between 5-8 p.m., and on May 8 at the Henry’s supermarket on El Camino Real in Carlsbad between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m.

Measles is easily spread by coughing, sneezing or close contact with an infected person. Measles causes a rash, high fever, cough, runny nose and watery eyes, usually lasting one to two weeks.

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