Measles exposure may have occurred at San Leandro restaurant

Officials believe the exposure happened on March 9 from 4:45 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

SAN LEANDRO — Visitors to a restaurant earlier this month may have been exposed to the measles virus, according to the Alameda County Health Department.

Health officials said the exposure came at the Sons of Liberty Alehouse on Juana Avenue on March 9. Officials believe people who were in the restaurant from 4:45 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. may have been exposed

In the warning, officials advised people who may have been there and who are vulnerable to the disease to have themselves checked and to call the Alameda County Public Health Department immediately at 510-267-3250.

The vulnerable population to measles includes pregnant women or infants 11 months old or younger; anyone who is not vaccinated for measles or unsure of their vaccination status; those who have weak immune systems from being immunocompromised.; and health care workers and childcare providers.

The measles virus is highly contagious and is spread with sneezing and coughing or direct contact with secretions, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.

The health department urged anyone who visited the Sons of Liberty Alehouse on March 9 to watch for symptoms, which can appear from one week to three weeks after exposure. Symptoms include a fever, cough, runny nose, red eyes and a rash.

Health officials said that anyone experiencing symptoms of measles should contact their medical facility first before visitng and tell someone on the medical staff that they may have been exposed to the virus.

The World Health Organization declared measles eradicated in the United States in 2000, but the number of reported cases has been climbing in recent years. By early March, the CDC reported 35 measles cases in 15 states.

The California Department of Public Health said Wednesday it was aware of four reported cases of measles statewide.

Please check back for updates.