Measles Reported at Popular Berkeley Grocery Store

The City of Berkeley’s Department of Public Health has confirmed that a Berkeley resident made a visit to a location of Berkeley Bowl while infected with measles.

Anyone who visited the grocery (2020 Oregon Street) on Tuesday May 7 from 3 p.m.- 5 p.m. should be monitored for symptoms, which include runny nose, red eyes, cough and fever; symptoms often do not appear until 7-21 days after exposure to the airborne virus.

This is the one several recent reports of a person with measles in the Bay Area in past months: In April, an infected person visited several San Francisco restaurants, including Johnny Doughnuts and Hayes Valley Bakeworks in Hayes Valley.

California has seen an uptick in cases of the measles in 2019, including a recent outbreak in Los Angeles. According to health officials, the virus is easily transmitted through a cough or sneeze; the virus can linger in the air for up to two hours after the infected person has left the area. And, those infected do not typically display symptoms during the first four days of their most contagious time period. Health officials recommend vaccination as an extremely effective method to prevent infection with measles.

Berkeley Public Health reports that it is currently interviewing anyone with whom the individual — who is no longer contagious — may have had contact.

• City of Berkeley [Official]
• SF Public Health Advisory [Official]