19-03-2025
Tuolumne County advises public of possible measles exposure at local high school, medical clinic
( — The Tuolumne County Public Health Department said it is investigating two suspected cases of Tuolumne County residents with measles.
The county said local residents should be aware of the risk of exposure to measles at Summerville High School from March 10 to 11 and at the Adventist Health Sonora Emergency Department in the late evening of March 15 and early morning of March 16.
'Summerville Union High School District takes the health and safety of its students, staff and our community seriously and we will be working closely with Tuolumne County Public Health through the process of identifying any risk to our students, staff and community,' Superintendent of Summerville High School Michael Merrill said.
The reported possible cases are some of the latest in an outbreak of measles in the U.S. that has mostly affected the South Plains and Panhandle regions of Texas.
The Tuolumne County Public Health Department advises the public to monitor themselves for symptoms and confirm if they have measles vaccination up to date.
According to the agency, symptoms include a fever above 101° F, cough, runny nose, red and watery eyes, and a rash that 'typically starts at the face and then spreads down to the rest of the body.'
Those who develop these symptoms are advised to remain at home and avoid contact with others. The agency also suggests calling ahead to a healthcare facility before visiting to inform them of the measles exposure and symptoms.
The Tuolumne County Public Health Department said a person infected with measles can spread the disease up to four days before the rash appears, meaning they can pass it on to others before they feel sick or have symptoms. They can continue to spread it up to four days after the rash has appeared as well.
According to the agency, measles spreads through the air an infected person breathes and the virus can stay in the air and on surfaces for hours.
The health department advises getting the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR or MMRV) vaccine to protect against the disease. The MMR vaccine protects against three diseases: measles, mumps, and rubella. The MMRV vaccine protects against four diseases: measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella (chickenpox).
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