Measles cases are springing up across Orange County, with gym and theme park goers being warned of potential exposures.
Over the past couple of weeks, two cases have been reported at the Disneyland Resort in the past month and two others in the OC area.
On Jan. 31, the OC Health Care Agency announced that an infected person had traveled from Los Angeles International airport to the Disneyland Resort on Jan. 28.
The infected person visited Goofy’s Kitchen and both Disneyland and Disney California Adventure Park from 10:30 am to park closing.
“We were notified by the OC Health Care Agency (HCA) on Jan. 31, 2026, that an international traveler who visited Disneyland Resort on Jan. 28, 2026 has since tested positive for the measles,” wrote Dr. Pamela Hymel, chief medical officer for Disney Experiences, in a statement to Voice of OC.
“We are closely following all guidance and recommendations by local health officials to support the well-being of our guests and cast members.”
On Feb 7, the OC Health Care Agency reported another measles case was found at Disneyland on Jan. 22, with the person visiting the theme park from opening to to 4 p.m. and Disney California Adventure Park from 3 p.m. to closing.
In 2014, Disneyland saw a measles outbreak that spread to seven other states, with the U.S. seeing 125 cases and Canada reporting 150 cases stemming from one Disneyland case.
Earlier in January, a measles case was reported in Ladera Ranch, with the infected person visiting an EōS Gym and AFC Urgent Care on the 23rd, and the same urgent care again on the 26th.
On Jan. 30th a case was reported in a toddler in Orange County, but no additional details were released.
Measles is a highly contagious virus and can lead to encephalitis and pneumonia in severe cases, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Symptoms take 7-14 days to appear, with high fever, cough, runny nose and pink eye being most common. More symptoms, like Koplik spots – white patches in the mouth – and a rash develop a few days after initial symptoms.
“Measles is a highly contagious disease that is spreading across the U.S. and worldwide,” wrote Dr. Anissa Davis, deputy Orange County health officer, in a statement to the Voice of OC. “And it’s more than just a rash—measles can cause serious complications that may lead to serious health problems and death in vulnerable children and adults.”
Measles spreads through air droplets, meaning that the virus is carried in droplets exhaled by a sick person. It can transfer through the air and surfaces and can remain in the air up to two hours after the infected person is gone.
According to Davis, public health employees or healthcare providers may reach out to individuals in the county about potential exposures and prevention.
Measles Cases Rise While Vaccinations Drop
In the past two years, the prevalence of measles has taken a sharp increase: just one month into 2026, the U.S. has seen 588 measles cases.
Last year saw a spike in cases, with 2,267 cases in the year, which is the most total cases since it was declared an eradicated disease in the U.S. in 2000. In comparison, in 2024, the CDC reported a total of 285 measles cases for the whole year.
The best prevention for getting measles is getting vaccinated – and many adults already are.
The MMR vaccine – which includes protection against measles, mumps and rubella – is on the childhood vaccine schedule and is usually required to attend public school.
Because of this requirement, kindergarteners’ vaccinations are largely used to determine community immunity.
According to the CDC, the MMR vaccination decline started in 2019-2020 at 95%, slipping down to 92.5% for the 2024-2025 school year.
If people without immunity from vaccination or previous illness are exposed, they can get a measles vaccine for up to three days after contact with the virus to help prevent contraction or reduce symptom severity.
Misinformation surrounding the MMR vaccine is a large contributor to this, especially the spread of links between autism and the vaccine, though no association has been found.
Despite dwindling U.S. vaccination rates, California has some of the highest in the country for measles.
For the 2024-2025 school year, 96% of kindergarteners at public schools were fully vaccinated for measles, according to the OC Health Care Agency.
These rates are above the CDC’s 95% vaccination rate suggestion to create herd immunity – the amount of people in an area that must be vaccinated to prevent the spread of disease.
“I urge residents to verify your vaccination status, follow public health guidance, and take decisive action to protect families, schools, and shared spaces,” wrote Katrina Foley, Orange County board of supervisors vice chair, in a press release in January.
“Our teams continue monitoring and will inform the public of any additional positive cases in Orange County.”
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