Hundreds of US university students and staff quarantined for measles

Over 700 students and staff members at two universities in Los Angeles were given quarantine orders after potential exposure to measles.

In a statement on 24 April, the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) said that a student infected with the highly contagious disease attended classes at two campus buildings on 2-9 April.

Although the student did not enter any other buildings while on campus, the university determined that over 500 students and staff may have been exposed to or came into contact with them.

UCLA said on Wednesday that it was waiting for medical records from 119 students and eight faculty members, and that they would be quarantined “until their proof of immunity is established”.

Two days later, the university confirmed that “one student remains in quarantine on campus” and said: “There are now fewer than 50 students and faculty members who have yet to have their immunity status confirmed, and all have elected to self-isolate in their own off-campus residences.”

California State University (CSU) in Los Angeles similarly alerted its students and staff about measles. Officials from the university warned of a potential exposure that took place at a campus library on 11 April between 11am and 3pm.

The university stated on 25 April that those at the library during that time have been asked to provide immunisation records or get checked at the health centre for immunity.

71 student employees and 127 staff employees were also given quarantine orders and told to stay home and avoid contact with other people.

A day later, the university reported that the figures had risen to 106 staff members and 550 students.

World Health Organisation figures show that there have been more than 110,000 cases of the disease worldwide in the first three months of 2019 – a rise of 300% compared to last year

A spokesman said that the revision in numbers came because “people who were potentially exposed have been coming to our Student Health Center in stages since Thursday morning to be screened.”

“Some were cleared immediately,” he said. “Others were told they were under quarantine.”

The spokesman added that, as of Friday afternoon, 110 students and 21 staff members had been cleared.

In a statement, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health said: “For those exposed to a confirmed case of measles who could not provide evidence of two doses of measles immunisations or lab verified immunity to measles, a Health Officer Order for quarantine is being issued.”

The university quarantines come amid a surge in measles outbreaks across the whole of America. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that there were 695 cases across 22 states.

Measles cases have reached a level not seen since 2000 when the disease was eliminated from the country, the CDC said.

They added that increasing cases of measles in the US are “part of a global trend seen over the past few years as other countries struggle with declining vaccination rates”.

World Health Organisation (WHO) figures show that there have been more than 110,000 cases of the disease worldwide in the first three months of 2019 – a rise of 300% compared to last year.

Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar explained that the US is seeing “a resurgence of measles, a disease that had once been effectively eliminated from our country…Measles is not a harmless childhood illness, but a highly contagious, potentially life-threatening disease.”

US President Donald Trump – who previously linked vaccines to autism – told reporters outside the White House on 26 April that Americans “have to get their shots” and that “vaccinations are so important”.