RSOE Emergency and Disaster Information Service

2010-03-13 04:38:22 - Epidemic Hazard - USA

EDIS CODE: EH-20100313-25304-USA
Date & Time: 2010-03-13 04:38:22 [UTC]
Area: USA, State of California, Kern County ,

'!!! WARNING !!!

Number of Infected person(s): 4

Not confirmed information!

Description:

Measles are starting to spread throughout Northern California, and it has health officials in Kern County sending the message to get vaccinated. However, some people hesitate to get their measles shots. Four people throughout the state have measles, and although that may not seem like a lot, the Kern County Public Health Department is acting now to prevent the spread of measles in the Central Valley. "There's a greater amount of concern because there have been four cases of measles diagnosed in the Northern California area," public health director Dr. Claudia Jonah said. Dr. Jonah says there were more than 900 cases of measles in Kern County twenty years ago, and she wants to prevent the highly contagious infection from spreading again. "If you don't have the proper immunity from having the vaccination or the disease, in all likelihood, you will get measles if you are exposed to it," Dr. Jonah said. Measles symptoms include a fever, dry cough, runny nose, inflamed eyes, red and white spots on your mouth or cheek, or a rash. Dr. Jonah says the vaccine is safe and everyone should get it. Cassandra Harper who immunized her three-year-old son agrees. "Knowing that there's parents out there that don't want to vaccinate their kids makes me nervous because they're playing with my kid and he's going to get whatever they have," Harper said. However, Courtland Keith thinks vaccinations may do more harm than good. "There's a lot of questions towards children with autism, there's also some beliefs that geon beret syndrome could be associated with it," Keith said. "Other neurological deficits seem to have some links as well." On Friday, the U.S. Court of Federal Claims rejected the argument that vaccines containing a mercury-based preservative called thimerosal cause autism. Thimerosal is no longer found in most vaccinations. However, Keith and others continue to question the number of vaccines most doctors continue to recommend.

The name of Hazard: Measles
Symptoms: Measles symptoms include a fever, dry cough, runny nose, inflamed eyes, red and white spots on your mouth or cheek, or a rash.
Species: Human
Status: Confirmed

Posted:2010-03-13 04:38:22 [UTC]