Catch The Avengers? Or The Measles? Check Your Tickets In OC

FULLERTON, CA — Visitors to the Fullerton AMC Theater last Saturday night may have caught more than the midnight showing of the "Avengers: Endgame," according to the Orange County Health Care Agency.

Though the agency did not disclose the movie the measles-sufferer saw, crowds were high for "Avengers: Endgame" which is one of the most top grossing films of the year thus far.

The OC Health Care Agency says that a Placentia woman in her 20s, infected with the measles, arrived at the AMC theater located on 1001 S. Lemon Street in Fullerton at 11 p.m. Saturday, April 25 through 4 a.m. Sunday, April 26.

The woman was unaware she had the virus when she went to the movies,

She is the first Orange County resident known to have contracted the virus in 2019, while she traveled outside of the United States to an area with an outbreak, according to officials.

Officials say people who were at the following locations should review their vaccination history and also monitor themselves for measles symptoms:

• 5 Hutton Centre Drive, Santa Ana, between 7:45 a.m. and 7:15 p.m. on April 23, 24 and 25.
• AMC movie theater, 1001 S. Lemon St., Fullerton, from 11 p.m. April 25 to 4 a.m. April 26.
• St. Jude Medical Center emergency department, 101 E. Valencia Mesa Drive, Fullerton, from 7 to 9 a.m. April 27.

Based upon her history, revealed by the OC Health Care Agency, she appears to have gone to work, then to the movies and ultimately to seek medical help when she realized she was ill.

"Measles is a highly contagious and potentially severe disease that causes fever, rash, cough and red, watery eyes," Dr. Nichole Quick of the OC Health Care Agency said in a statement released Tuesday.

The MMR vaccine is a simple, inexpensive and very effective measure to prevent the spread of this severe virus, she said.

A movie theater is a perfect setting for exposure to the virus, spread through the air through coughing or sneezing. The virus can linger for two hours after the sick person leaves the room.

The woman is considered infectious between April 23 and May 1, 2019 and is currently under voluntary isolation at home.

If you believe you were in that location at the same time, you should review your vaccination history, and monitor yourself for illness, fever, and/or unexplained rash from 7 to 21 days.

If symptoms develop, stay at home and contact a health care provider over the phone immediately.

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Orange County Confirms Measles Case, First Of 2019