LOS ANGELES, Calif. — The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health urges residents to review their immunization record or get a measles vaccine as the health agency grapples with another measles case, its fourth from an LA County resident or visitor this year.

Public health officials described the recent patient as a visitor who traveled to LA County from abroad. Officials did not detail where the visitor came from or when that person arrived in LA.

The only thing that was known was that the traveler was not infectious during the time of travel.

Measles is a highly contagious respiratory disease that spreads through the air and on surfaces, particularly to the unvaccinated or those at high risk of contracting it. Typical measles symptoms include fever, cough and a rash that starts on the face before spreading to the rest of the body.

“A person can spread the illness to others before they have symptoms, and it can take seven to twenty-one days for symptoms to show up after exposure,” said Muntu Davis, a doctor and Los Angeles County Health Officer in a news release.

According to health officials, there were no public places in the county where the recent patient could have exposed others.

It seems the patient went to a health care facility, and its staff are now reaching out to anyone who may have been exposed.

Los Angeles public health officials are tracking down possible contacts to verify their measles vaccination status.

The recent case comes less than two months after public health officials confirmed their first measles case in LA County in March.

Though not as severe as the measles outbreak in West Texas, which has now reached 700 cases since January, LA public health officials encourage residents to protect themselves by receiving the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine if they are not immune.  

“Measles can lead to severe disease in young children and vulnerable adults,” said Davis. “As LA County residents begin to travel this summer and with measles cases increasing among those who have recently traveled, we remind everyone that the best way to protect yourself and your family from infection is with the highly effective measles vaccine.”