By NewsDesk  @infectiousdiseasenews

San Bernardino County

San Bernardino County health officials have reported the first confirmed measles case of the year in a unvaccinated 8-month old child who traveled internationally.

State health officials have seen 56 confirmed measles cases this year so far.

Public domain image/National Atlas of the United States

Escherichia coli linked to San Diego County Fair update

In a follow-up on the  E. coli outbreak linked to the petting zoo at the San Diego County Fair, state health officials offered some additional details.

As of July 1, 2019, four children with confirmed or probable Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) infection have been reported to the San Diego County Epidemiology Program.

All four had attended the San Diego County Fair at the Del Mar Fairgrounds 2-4 days before the onset of illness. The children range in age from 2 to 13 years old, and illness onset dates ranged from June 10 through 19. All patients had Shiga toxin; two have confirmed STEC O157 infections, while the other two are pending organism identification. One of the four patients was hospitalized with hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) and subsequently died.

The case-patients are from different families and have no commonalities between them except for fair attendance. There were no common foods consumed among the patients while at the fair, but all reported visiting the Chevrolet Livestock Barn where farm animals were exhibited and a petting zoo was located. On June 28, the San Diego County Health and Human Services Agency coordinated with fair officials to close the livestock barn and its petting zoo and restrict the public from animal contacts through the fair closing on July 4. Public health investigations are ongoing.