Clark County has 3 new cases of measles

Three additional cases of measles were announced Friday in connection with a staff member at an MGM Grand restaurant.

According to a Southern Nevada Health District news release, the new cases involve two staff members and a patron, all under 55, who are believed to have received the virus in early February from an under-immunized worker at Emeril’s New Orleans Fish House in the Strip resort.

One of the staff members was “potentially contagious” while working restaurant shifts that began at 4 p.m. from Feb. 18 to Feb. 21, according to the news release.

The health district reported that one of the people with a new case of measles visited a Walgreens at 2389 E. Windmill Lane, near Eastern Avenue, between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. on Sunday. The person also was at a Chili’s restaurant at 7530 Las Vegas Blvd. South, near Robindale Road, between 2:30 p.m. and 7 p.m. on Sunday.

Those who visited either location during those times are being advised by the health district to review their immunization records. They also should contact their health care provider if they develop a rash with fever or other symptoms related to measles within 21 days, the health district said. The illness that is circulating in the community is highly contagious.

The new cases bring the total to nine for confirmed measles cases in Clark County in 2015. These are the first confirmed cases in Southern Nevada since 2011.

According to the health district, the source of the outbreak for the Emeril’s worker is an infant who was too young to have received the immunization. It is unknown how the baby came into contact with the restaurant worker.

A young child who had a single dose of the vaccine, a fully immunized adolescent, a vaccinated adult and an adult with unknown immunization status are among the confirmed cases, the health district said.

Contact reporter Cassandra Taloma at ctaloma@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-0381. Find her on Twitter: @CassandraTaloma