Child measles case at Sacramento hospital may have exposed 300 people, health officials say

A child tested positive for measles this week after being evaluated at hospitals in California’s capital region, and about 300 residents may have been exposed, according to Sacramento County and El Dorado County public health officials.

A child was evaluated Tuesday at both a medical facility in San Joaquin County and UC Davis Medical Center’s emergency department, health officials said.

People who were potentially exposed live in 16 Northern California counties, said Elizabeth Zelidon, a spokeswoman for the Sacramento County’s public health office. Zelidon did not have list of the affected counties as of Friday evening.

El Dorado County residents who were at UC Davis Medical Center’s emergency department between noon and 5 p.m. Tuesday are asked to contact the county’s public health line, said Carla Hass, a spokeswoman for El Dorado County. Placerville-area residents may call 530-621-6320 and South Lake Tahoe-area residents may call 530-573-3154.

El Dorado County Public Health Officer Dr. Matthew Minson said in a statement affected individuals will be contacted for further instructions.

He requested residents refrain from going directly to emergency departments to reduce the chances of spreading the disease.

Measles is a very contagious respiratory virus that can pose a serious threat to children younger than 5 years old, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

“Measles is so contagious that if one person has it, up to 90% of the people close to that person who are not immune will also become infected,” the CDC said.

Common symptoms include a fever spiking to more than 104 degrees, coughing, runny nose, red and watery eyes and a rash, the CDC said.

The airborne disease can exist outside a human body for up to two hours after an infectious person coughs or sneezes, the CDC said. A person may start to develop symptoms between nine and 21 days after exposure, according to Sacramento County.

Vaccination is the best protection against measles. Children are supposed to get their first dose of mumps, measles and rubella vaccine between 12 to 15 months old, Sacramento County officials said. Adults can also receive the vaccine.

“While vaccination is currently the best protection against measles infection, no vaccine or medicine is perfect, and vaccinated individuals may still become infected,” Sacramento County said.

A similar incident involving a child with measles unfolded in March 2019 at UC Davis Medical Center and exposed about 200 people, The Sacramento Bee reported at the time. Sacramento and Placer counties each reported three measles cases by early May of that year, The Bee reported.

Measles cases and outbreaks have been reported across the U.S. in recent weeks. The CDC as of Thursday had reported 45 cases across 17 states this year, compared to 58 for all of 2023.

Prior to this week’s confirmed case, California health officials had reported two infections in 2024, both in early February. According to the California Department of Public Health, the state recorded four cases last year and none during 2022.

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