• Health
  • Science
  • U.S.
  • Technology
  • Business
  • World
  • Politics
  • Entertainment
  • Sports

Building a Better World

News and information

  • Home
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact Us
  • Our Team

UC Berkeley student exposes commuters, classmates to measles

February 21, 2014 By Contributor

UC Berkeley student exposes commuters, classmates to measles

A UC Berkeley student is found to be contagious.

A UC Berkeley student may have exposed thousands of San Francisco Bay Area commuters, as well as fellow students, to measles after he took public transportation and attended class while infected.

The student, who was not identified, took a Bay Area Rapid Transit train from his home in Contra Costa County to the college campus to attend class, officials said.

Health officials said the measles virus can stay in the air for up to two hours, so anyone who rode BART during the morning commute hours or in the late evening from Feb. 4 to Feb. 7 may have been exposed.

“Measles is a serious, highly contagious disease,” said Berkeley’s health officer, Dr. Janet Berreman. “It spreads through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes. Fortunately, the measles vaccine is highly effective in preventing infection.”

In a news release posted on the city of Berkeley’s website, officials said they believe the student was not vaccinated and likely contracted measles during a recent trip abroad.

“Before being diagnosed, the student spent time in the Berkeley community, including attending classes and using BART on several days,” according to the news release.

UC Berkeley health officials said they contacted the 100 students who shared a class with the infected student.  The university also ordered 300 doses of measles vaccine so people who wanted to get their shot could do so.

Anyone who shows symptoms should immediately see a health professional, officials said.  Symptoms, which can begin one to three weeks after exposure, can include high fever, watery red eyes and a rash that often occurs on the person’s face and neck a couple days after the fever starts before spreading to the body.

People who have already had measles or got the vaccine are unlikely to become infected, health officials said.

So far, no other cases have been identified, but officials said they are still investigating the situation.

According to the Centers for Disease Control there were 189 reported cases of the measles in 2013.

Sharing

Facebooktwittergoogle_plusredditpinterestlinkedintumblrmail

Filed Under: Front Page, Health, None

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Follow Us

Facebookrss

Search:

Recent Posts

  • NASA’s InSight spacecraft makes important course correction May 26, 2018
  • Scientists outraged at latest Trump decision May 15, 2018
  • Huge uproar erupts over major incident at Utah park May 13, 2018
  • Incredible moon discovery stuns scientists May 12, 2018
  • Authorities shocked by discovery about common painkiller May 6, 2018
  • Outrageous crocodile experiment stuns scientists May 5, 2018
  • Great Barrier Reef is too quiet, scientists say May 1, 2018
  • Massive Hiroshima bomb discovery shocks scientists May 1, 2018
  • Earth will be slammed by massive asteroid April 29, 2018
  • Teens are doing something incredibly alarming in schools April 29, 2018
  • Huge discovery in Tasmania stuns scientists April 28, 2018
  • Shocking discovery in New Jersey stuns authorities April 22, 2018
  • Huge volcanic explosion could wipe out the United States April 21, 2018
  • Huge controversy erupts over world’s hottest pepper April 15, 2018
  • SpaceX is about to do something astonishing April 15, 2018

Copyright © 2022 Jones Kilmartin Group, LLC · Metro Pro Theme On Genesis Framework · WordPress