Health investigation into measles case at Google campus spans two counties

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Thursday, April 18, 2019
Health investigation into measles case at Google campus spans two counties
Santa Clara County Public Health officials confirm an adult with Measles recently went to Google's main campus in Mountain View.

MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif. (KGO) -- Santa Clara County Public Health officials confirm an adult with Measles recently went to Google's main campus in Mountain View. Contact could have potentially exposed people without protection to the highly contagious infection.

The health investigation into the Measles case at the campus now spans two counties.

RELATED: Email sent to Google employees warns of measles case, report says

"It's not a case in Santa Clara County," the County's Public Health Officer, Dr. Sara Cody told reporters. "I can confirm that the case is in an adult, and they're a San Mateo County resident."

Buzzfeed News obtained an email sent to some Google employees, claiming a worker who had been to the company's 1295 Charleston Road building had been diagnosed with Measles. Since the location falls in Santa Clara County, health officials here are conducting what they call "contact investigations."

"In these contact investigations," Dr. Cody elaborated, "We're trying to understand, is there anybody who might have been exposed, who is not protected?"

Dr. Cody called the process research intensive, but routine.

She explained it's San Mateo County Health's responsibility to interview the infectious person and question where they've traveled while contagious.

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Although health officials do not believe there is further risk to the public, others tell us they're taking the potential threat seriously.

"I think everybody should be worried, if that's something that's happening around the area," Mountain View resident Maddison Hoag told ABC7 News. "Make sure that you're obviously being very safe and careful."

Santa Clara County health officials explained the County's high vaccination rate of 96.7-percent, means the vast majority of people are protected.

"So, in a workplace in Santa Clara County, you would also expect the vaccination rates to be high," Dr. Cody said. "And you would not expect much spread."

She said Santa Clara County has four confirmed Measles cases. None are related, and are being referred to as "independent importation." Adding there has not been any reported spread.

The San Mateo County Health Department shared a statement with ABC7 News which read in part: "San Mateo County has four confirmed measles cases in 2019, which include the Santa Clara County investigation of an adult resident who recently visited Google."

RELATED: What is measles? What to know about measles symptoms, vaccine and treatment

The County Health Communications Specialist said the department would not be releasing additional details on the case, including where the person may have traveled while infectious.

ABC7 News has also reached out to Google. This article will be updated to reflect any additional details or comments from Google.