Health officials issued quarantine orders at UCLA and Cal State, Los Angeles to prevent the spread of measles, with more than 100 students and faculty members at UCLA under quarantine.
UCLA said 127 students and faculty are being held while they await medical records to determine whether they're immune to the illness. More than 500 students, faculty and staff who may have come into contact with a student who contracted measles were screened. The student with measles attended classes at Franz Hall and Boelter Hall on April 2, 4 and 9 while contagious, according to UCLA.
"We expect that those notified will be quarantined for approximately 24-48 hours until their proof of immunity is established. A few may need to remain in quarantine for up to seven days. We have arranged for those who live on campus to be cared for at UCLA while they are quarantined," UCLA said in a statement.
A person with measles reportedly visited a library at CSU Los Angeles for a few hours, possibly exposing others.
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health said it's working with both universities "to institute a series of actions to limit the spread of measles based on its assessment of the previously identified measles cased."
Measles is highly contagious and can stay in the air for up to two hours after a ill person coughs or sneezes, and can stay on surfaces for several hours, health officials say. About 90% of people who are exposed and not immune to the illness become sick 7 to 21 days after exposure.
The county public health department says schools are "high-risk setting for exposure due to potentially frequent and prolonged contact."
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says the U.S. now has the highest number of measles cases in a year since measles were eliminated in 2000, with 695 measles cases reported in 22 states.
Los Angeles public health officials declared a measles outbreak in the county, making it the latest metro area to be struck by the illness.
Story courtesy of KABC.
