UCLA and Cal State LA will quarantine students who can not prove that they had been vaccinated against measles – CBS Los Angeles

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA) – Health officials at UCLA and Cal State LA are working with county health authorities to issue quarantine orders to students who can not provide proof of measles vaccination, officials said Thursday.

According to a statement released by the Los Angeles County Public Health Department, nearly 100 students from UCLA and perhaps even some of CSULA could be sentenced to stay at home up to 21 days .

Any student who has been exposed to a confirmed case of measles and who has not been able to provide evidence of two doses of immunization against measles or measles immunity attested by the laboratory is will postpone a quarantine order from the health official, forcing the exposed person to stay at home.

The quarantined person is also required to inform the county health authorities if any measles symptoms are occurring and to avoid contact with other people until the end of the quarantine period or until they provide proof of immunity.

Quarantine for measles can last up to 21 days from the date of the last exposure. At this point, the exposed person is no longer at risk of developing the disease or transmitting measles to other people.

"Both universities are helping to implement quarantine orders and determine the best way to help students who need to be quarantined and living on campus," officials said.

Public health officials said the number of measles cases was on the rise in California this year and the increase was largely due to travel abroad.

Dr. Karen Smith, director of the California Department of Public Health, said the state had registered 38 cases of measles as of Thursday, compared with 11 at about the same time last year .

She says that the state usually sees fewer than two dozen cases a year.

This year, California cases affect 11 counties – including five new cases in L.A. county – and affect patients aged 5 months to 55 years.

She says that more than 76% of patients have not been vaccinated or have not received the two recommended doses of vaccine.

Fourteen of those infected had traveled abroad, including the Philippines, Thailand, India and Ukraine.

Symptoms of measles include high fever, cough and rash.

This is a breaking news report. More information will be provided as soon as it will be available.