Humboldt County Department of Health and Human Services:
Individuals who visited the Days Inn in Eureka or the Providence St. Joseph Hospital emergency room in the following days were exposed to measles:
Days Inn at Wyndham270 Fifth St. in Eureka from Thursday, May 9, 2 p.m. to Friday, May 10, 3 p.m.
Providence St. Joseph Hospital Emergency Department2700 Dolbear St. in Eureka on Friday, May 10, between 2:30 and 6:30 p.m.
Anyone who has been in these areas during these periods should contact the Public Health Branch of the Humboldt County Health & Human Services Department at 707-268-2182 to find out if they are experiencing symptoms. Phones will be answered tonight until 8pm and Saturday from 8pm to 8pm
A public health nurse will assess your exposure and provide information. Vaccination significantly reduces the risk of developing severe disease within 72 hours of exposure to unvaccinated individuals.
Public Health has been informed that the case of measles, which was seen in the emergency room of St. Joseph’s Hospital this morning, includes a member of the family who was traveling in the area. According to the California Department of Public Health, measles is a highly contagious virus that lives in the nose and throat of an infected person. It can be spread to others through coughing and sneezing. The virus can remain in the air for up to an hour after an infected person leaves the area, and other people who breathe contaminated air or touch a contaminated surface and then touch their eyes, nose, or mouth can become infected.
After exposure to measles, it can take 7 to 21 days for symptoms to appear, and symptoms usually begin with a fever that lasts for two days, followed by a cough, runny nose, cataracts (pink eye), and a rash. The rash first appears on the face, along the hairline and behind the ears, then affects the rest of the body. Infected people are contagious for up to four days before the onset of their rash. Children under the age of 5 and people who are pregnant or have weakened immune systems are at high risk of serious illness and complications from measles.
Measles is a vaccine preventable disease. The measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine is 97% effective in preventing disease. Contact and visit your primary care provider for more information about the vaccine https://www.cdc.gov/measles/vaccination.html.
Digital immunization records for most children and adults are available through the California Department of Public Health’s Digital Immunization Record: https://myvaccinerecord.cdph.ca.gov/.
