San Diego Measles Outbreak Growing

Five More Kids Diagnosed, Bringing Recent Total To 11

(CBS/AP)  Authorities say five more children in San Diego have tested positive for measles, bringing to 11 the total number in the recent outbreak.

Health officials are awaiting test results on a 12th child.

Over the past month, officials have tracked measles to schools, grocery stores and the Del Mar Fairgrounds.

One of the latest victims is an 8-year-old who may have spread the measles virus during a visit to Whole Foods Market in Hillcrest and later to a Cirque du Soleil performance at the fairgrounds.

Officials are warning that the highly contagious disease can be particularly dangerous to children. The virus can survive for about two hours after it is expelled by a cough or sneeze.

This is the most measles cases in the city in 17 years, according to Dr. Mark Sawyer, a pediatrician and infectious disease specialist at Rady's Children Hospital in San Diego.

The outbreak is believed to have started with a child who caught measles in Switzerland, then returned to the United States.

Sawyer told Early Show co-anchor Maggie Rodriguez measles "is probably the most contagious infectious disease that we deal with," adding, "It's a miserable experience for children to have the measles."

Measles can cause complications that can even lead to death, Sawyer warned.

None of the 11 patients had been immunized.

What does Sawyer say to parents concerned about possible links to autism and other problems with vaccinations?

"The first thing I say is they really should discuss all their concerns with their physician and get all of the facts. In my opinion, parents who choose not to have their children vaccinated are not making a fully-informed decision.

"They have to realize that these diseases are out there, and this outbreak is an example of that, and not just the measles. We had an outbreak of mumps in the United States a couple of years ago. We still see whooping cough in the United States in very large numbers.

"So, the diseases are out there, and the diseases are just a plane ride away, as also illustrated by this case. This child went to Switzerland and brought the measles back here, to San Diego.

"The other thing that parents need to know is that vaccines are very, very safe, and there is a very complete structure to evaluate the safety of vaccines both before they're given to children or put on the market and afterwards."

For more on measles, check out these Web pages:

National Center for Infectious Diseases

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)

Measles Outbreak Information from Rady Children's Hospital

[purpleparadox]

Oh yes you can get them more than once. First of all there are more than one type. One type is similar to chicken pox, and then there is Rebella which can cause complications. I am 48 and I''ve had the measles 3 times, once for each strain of the disease. Rubella put me in the hospital after it affected my asthma and then caused me to have pnuemonia. I was in there for 15 days. Don''t talk about *** you don''t know about. Get your information from a reliable source. It''s the stupid and/or ignorant people in this world who are causing diseases to spread like wildfire and never go away. Be smart call the doctor, and then go back to bed, or at least stay away from public places. One sneeze of measles can live on objects for up to 2 hours. It''s airborn, cover your mouth when you cough and sneeze then sanitize your hands. Sanitize them after you touch anything in public.

[purpleparadox]

Just thought I''d let everyone know that the measles are in central Kansas now. I live in Emporia, home of the ESU Hornets, and my [almost] three yr old granddaughter has the measles now. She''ll be over the rash by tomorrow, but it started a week & 1/2 ago with her getting tonsilitis. This is an air born virus, and one of the most contagious diseases known. If people would stay at home when they are sick, and get their kids the immunizations, this would not happen. But of course we live in a country full of stupid, and thoughtless selfish people who don''t care about the community of other people they could be hurting. People can die of measles[actually its Rubella] which is primarily a respiratory illness. It begins with a cold, or the flu, or cough, or tonsilitis, then 3-5 days later when you should be feeling better you get the "full body rash" which begins with a single or a pair of pink dots. Then you wake up the next day and it''s there. full blown and in every crevice and surface of skin you have. And the older you are the worse it can be. A dose of Bendryl and you''ll forget how bad the itching is. Stay home!!!!!!!!!! Keep it to yourself. Have a blood test if you suspect it''s coming so you''ll know to stay away from public places. Don''t be stupid like the San Diego people who brought this *** to tour country in the first place!!!

[erasmus6]

"I had the measels years ago. I can''''t get them. I don''''t worry about measles." posted by MichelleM99

Yes, they say you can only get them once but I have heard of people getting some of these diseases more than once. My cousin had one, I am not sure if it was measles or what, but he had it more than once. In fact my mom said he had them 5 times. I don''t think that happens very often though.

[mediapreachr]

San Diego is pretty close to the southern border.
Their health officials should check the hispanic communities(shanty towns),in the area,where they live like sardines.
Most likely the carrier,just went across,bypassing regular check points-then headed straight to urban centers where "jobs" are.
Just a reminder,south american countries don''t have welfare or any resemblance of social services.

[talkingham]

Michelle there are several types of measle viruses.

[velika-2009]

Forgive my typing errors, I cannot type and my keyboard is acting up.

[juwboy]

No, mustang4mom.

Your son has autism because of a genetic defect passed on to him by you and/or your partner.

[brianbwb-2009]

"Switzerland? Is that what they''re calling Mexico these days?" Posted by cpaide

No, it is what they call Switzerland.

[michellem99-2009]

I had the measels years ago. I can''t get them. I don''t worry about measles.

[ringading3]

"mustang4mom" is a bald face liar who has an agenda and will tell any lie to promote that agenda!

[cpaide]

"The outbreak is believed to have started with a child who caught measles in Switzerland, then returned to the United States."

Switzerland? Is that what they''re calling Mexico these days?

[cfin5]

Yep, the dude''s got the measles. Got them as a kid and we didn''t get any shot. You just wait them out and don''t scratch. Some things you just let your own body do the fighting

[erasmus6]

"...My son is not vaccinated...I would never risk his health..." posted by mel99atc

YOU ARE RISKING HIS HEALTH AND HIS LIFE!

When he gets really ill and possibly dies, he will have YOU to thank.

[erasmus6]

"Why do they give Hepatitis B shots to babies when they are not at risk?" posted by mustang4mom

I live in Canada and I have never heard of such a thing.

[4marlene]

my son got autism from the Hepatitis B shot. Why do they give Hepatitis B shots to babies when they are not at risk? Hep B is not a common childhood disease. Two of my friends were lab workers forced to get the Hep B shot when it first came out. Both of them became paralyzed from the vaccine. Shortly after that the CDC and AAP decided babies needed this shot too, just in case they start having *** and shooting up illegal drugs as soon as they get home from the hospital.

[mel99atc]

Saying vaccinations are very, very safe is a lie and an opinion and just another example of the brainwashing that goes on in our country. The evidence is there in the medical journals showing that vaccinations are not safe, it is just not put on the news because of the money. Most likely CBS is partially owned by a pharmaceutical company...My son is not vaccinated...I would never risk his health...Remember, fact: The medical system is the #1 killer in the USA.

[xlib]

For those screaming about the cost, there are programs and every child on welfare gets the immunizations free-including chicken pox. The parents screaming about the cost probably spend the money on more important things, yes?? You have the child, your responsibility, etc, etc

[xlib]

This is what we get when parents refuse to have their children get the immunizations. But, they''ll probably blame it on someone else.

[c9mmr]

get immunizations! just another area where those with more attitude than common sense are costing everybody....

[erasmus6]

"When I grew up everyone got the measles, mumps, and chicken pox. It was a fact of life then." posted by coppertales

When I grew up I had the measles, chicken pox etc. too. And I had also had my vaccinations. The part I think you are not getting is that just because you are vaccinated doesn''t mean you won''t get them. What it does mean though, is that when you do get them, you won''t get them as bad, it will be mild. If you get them without having a vaccine you will get one hell of a lot sicker and you can DIE!!