Suspected Measles Cases Involving Summerville High And AHS
Tuolumne County, CA—Tuolumne County Public Health (TCPH) is warning the public that it is investigating two suspected cases of measles involving Summerville High School and Adventist Health Sonora (AHS).
The department cautions the public about potential exposure for anyone at the campus between Monday, March 10, and Tuesday, March 11, 2025, and at the hospital’s emergency room between the late evening of Saturday, March 15, and the early morning of Sunday, March 16, 2025.
“This is an emerging situation; details are pending, and we will update the public as soon as further information is available,” stated health officials, adding, “As part of the investigation, Summerville High School is coordinating closely with public health.
“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,” states Michael Merrill, superintendent of Summerville High School.
As we reported here last week, California had five confirmed measles cases, and county health put out an alert to the public advising on the best way to protect against the highly infectious disease. In today’s press release they advise that exposed individuals should monitor for symptoms and confirm if their measles vaccination is up to date.
“Unimmunized persons or those with unknown immunization status who were at these locations during the aforementioned dates and times are at risk of developing measles from 7 to 21 days after being exposed and should monitor for symptoms,” shared health officials, adding, “Exposed individuals who have been free of symptoms for more than 21 days after exposure are no longer at risk.
TCPH provided this list of what exposed individuals should do:
• Review their immunization and medical records to determine if they are protected against measles. People who have not had a measles infection or received the measles immunization previously may not be protected from the measles virus and should talk with a healthcare provider about receiving the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine (MMR) or Proquad.
• Monitor themselves for illness with fever and/or an unexplained rash from 7 days to 21 days after their exposure (the time period when symptoms may develop).
• If symptoms develop, they should isolate at home and avoid contact with others. Talk to their healthcare provider. Call ahead of their visit to a healthcare facility and make them aware of their measles exposure and symptoms. Public health can assist healthcare providers in appropriately diagnosing and managing your care.
An infected person can spread measles up to four days before a rash appears and up to four days after the rash appears. Measles is an airborne illness that can infect others when an infected person breathes, talks, coughs, or sneezes. Health officials stress that the virus can stay in the air and on surfaces for many hours, even after the infected person has left. If others breathe the contaminated air or touch the infected surface and then touch their eyes, nose, or mouth, they can become infected. Young children and those who are pregnant or have weakened immune systems are at a higher risk for life-threatening complications from infection.
TCPH provided these common symptoms of measles:
• High fever (higher than 101°F)
• Cough
• Runny nose
• Red and watery eyes
• Rash 3-5 days after other signs of illness. The “measles rash” typically starts at the face and then spreads down to the rest of the body.
Most health insurance covers the cost of vaccines, according to TCPH, noting that being vaccinated against measles, mumps, and rubella with the MMR or MMRV vaccines is the strongest defense against this disease. The MMRV also guards against varicella or chickenpox. If taken in two doses, they are 97 percent effective. That drops to 93 percent if just one dose is taken.
“If 95% of the population has received both doses of the vaccine, the transmission of measles within the community can be stopped,” stress TCPH officials.
