{"id":353310,"date":"2026-06-09T16:39:13","date_gmt":"2026-06-09T16:39:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/353310\/"},"modified":"2026-06-09T16:39:13","modified_gmt":"2026-06-09T16:39:13","slug":"measles-found-in-merced-ca-symptoms-cases-health-risks","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/353310\/","title":{"rendered":"Measles found in Merced CA: Symptoms, cases & health risks"},"content":{"rendered":"

The measles virus has been detected<\/a> in the wastewater of a California county, adding a new warning sign as the state continues to see a rise in cases this year<\/a>, according to public health officials.<\/p>\n

The Merced County Department of Public Health said Friday, June 5, that measles virus material was found<\/a> in routine wastewater surveillance samples collected in the county.<\/p>\n

While no clinical measles cases<\/a> have been confirmed in the county, Merced County health officials said, wastewater monitoring can serve as an early indicator.<\/p>\n

It can detect viral particles<\/a> shed in bodily waste before or even without confirmed diagnoses.<\/p>\n

As of June 1, California had already reported 49 confirmed measles cases in 2026<\/a>, according to the California Department of Public Health.<\/p>\n

That total is nearly double the number of cases recorded in 2025<\/a> and roughly three times the count from 2024<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Who is most at risk for measles?<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s what California health officials said:<\/p>\n

\"California California continues to see a rise in measles cases in 2026, according to public health officials. Getty Images What is measles?<\/p>\n

Measles is a \u201chighly contagious\u201d virus<\/a> that is spread through the air when an infected person breathes, talks, coughs or sneezes, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf one person has it, up to nine out of 10 people who come into close contact with that person will become infected if they are not protected,\u201d the CDC said.<\/p>\n

What are common symptoms of measles?<\/p>\n

Measles symptoms can appear<\/a> seven to 14 days after it is contracted.<\/p>\n

According to the CDC, common measles symptoms<\/a> include:<\/p>\n

CoughRunny noseRed, watery eyesRashFever more than 104 degrees<\/p>\n

The measles rash typically begins<\/a> on the face, often starting along the hairline and behind the ears, before spreading downward to the rest of the body, according to the California Department of Public Health.<\/p>\n

People infected with measles can spread the virus from about four days before the rash appears to four days after it develops. Those who have been exposed are advised to watch for symptoms<\/a> for up to 21 days.<\/p>\n

\u201cSome people think of measles as just a little rash and fever that clear up in a few days,\u201d the CDC said. \u201cBut measles can cause serious health complications<\/a>, especially in children younger than 5 years old.\u201d<\/p>\n

Common complications include ear infections and diarrhea.<\/p>\n

More serious outcomes can include pneumonia<\/a>, encephalitis \u2014 or swelling of the brain \u2014 and, in rare cases, death, according to the CDC.<\/p>\n

Who is most at risk for measles?<\/p>\n

\u201cAnyone who is not protected against measles<\/a> is at risk,\u201d the CDC said.<\/p>\n

Although measles was declared eliminated<\/a> in the United States in 2000, cases have increased in recent years, with several large outbreaks reported since 2025.<\/p>\n

\u201cMeasles is also still common in many parts of the world,\u201d the CDC said. \u201cEvery year, measles infections occur in the United States because unvaccinated travelers get measles while they are in other countries and then travel to the United States.\u201d<\/p>\n

While anyone who lacks immunity can become infected, some groups face a higher risk<\/a> of severe complications.<\/p>\n

Those groups include:<\/p>\n

Children under age 5Adults older than age 20Pregnant peoplePeople with weak immune systems<\/p>\n

\u201cUnvaccinated people are at high risk<\/a>,\u201d the California Department of Public Health said. \u201cRoughly 90% of those unvaccinated and exposed to measles will contract the disease. \u200b\u201d\u200b<\/p>\n

\"The The measles, mumps and rubella vaccine. Kittisak Kaewchalun Getty Images How do I protect myself from measles infection?<\/p>\n

The MMR vaccine is the best protection<\/a> against measles and its complications, according to the California Department of Public Health.<\/p>\n

The MMR vaccine protects against measles, mumps and rubella.<\/p>\n

According to the state health department, children should receive their first dose at 12 months<\/a> of age, and a second dose between age 4 or 6.<\/p>\n

Older children and youth under 19 should receive two doses if there is no documented history of vaccination.<\/p>\n

Adults 19 and older should stay up-to-date with one or two doses, depending on risk factors<\/a>, such as underlying health issues, and vaccination history.<\/p>\n

Have a question about life in California?<\/p>\n

How to California \u2014 a guide to help you live, work and enjoy life in the Golden State, is here to help.<\/p>\n

We\u2019ll answer your questions \u2014 big and small \u2014 about state laws, history, culture, recreation and travel.<\/p>\n

Ask your questions in the form below (can\u2019t see it? Click here<\/a>) or email howtocalifornia@mcclatchy.com<\/a>.<\/p>\n

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Related Stories from Sacramento Bee<\/p>\n


\n \"Profile
\n <\/a><\/p>\n

Angela Rodriguez<\/a><\/p>\n

The Modesto Bee<\/p>\n

Angela Rodriguez is a service journalism reporter for The Bee. She is a graduate of Sacramento State with a bachelor\u2019s degree in journalism. During her time there, she worked on the State Hornet covering arts and entertainment.\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The measles virus has been detected in the wastewater of a California county, adding a new warning sign…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":353311,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[7,9,8],"class_list":["post-353310","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-california","tag-california","tag-california-headlines","tag-california-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/353310","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=353310"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/353310\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/353311"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=353310"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=353310"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-ca\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=353310"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}