Federal vaccine policy is also under review; current guidance still recommends the standard 2-dose MMR combination shot.
⚠️ New Exposure Alert:
OC Health Care Agency confirmed a new measles exposure at locations in Anaheim, Orange, and Fountain Valley on August 11 and 14. If you were at the Anaheim Packing District, Fire and Ice, BJ’s, The Escape Game Orange, or the UCI Health Fountain Valley Cafeteria during those dates, see the “Anaheim and Orange” section below for exact times and next steps.
In 2000, U.S. health officials declared measles eliminated from the country. There was no continuous transmission of the virus for a full 12 months. But 2026 is threatening to overturn that milestone and shaping up to be the worst year for measles in the United States in decades. Southern California has been squarely in the middle of it. We’ve seen confirmed exposure events at 2 of the region’s biggest tourist draws – Disneyland and Universal Studios Hollywood – plus a newly confirmed local exposure across Anaheim, Orange, and Fountain Valley the week of August 18th.
This is your guide to what’s happening with measles in Southern California, why it’s happening, and what it means for you.
What Is Measles, and Why Does It Spread So Easily?
Measles is a virus, or tiny, spreading germs, and medical providers widely consider it to be the most contagious vaccine-preventable disease on the planet. According to the LA County Department of Public Health, the virus can hang in the air for up to 2 hours after an infected person has left. Plus, symptoms can take 1 to 2 weeks to appear, meaning someone can pass it around before they even know they have it. It starts with a flat red or dark rash that appears in blotchy, slightly raised patches at the face and hairline. This spreads downward across the body, often accompanied by a high fever, cough, and runny nose. A person with measles is contagious for about 8 days total, starting 4 days before the rash appears. If you’ve been exposed, watch for symptoms for up to 3 weeks.
The risk of spreading measles is incredibly high: roughly 9 out of 10 unvaccinated people who share a room with someone infectious will catch it themselves. Few diseases spread that easily.
Who is at risk?
The MMR vaccine protects against three viral infections at once: measles, mumps, and rubella. It exposes your immune system to a weakened, inactive version of each virus, training your body to recognize and fight off the real thing later on. Doctors typically give it in 2 doses during childhood: the first between 12 and 15 months, the second between ages 4 and 6. The CDC considers it about 97% effective at preventing measles once both doses are complete.
🗓️ Make an Appointment to check if you’re protected against measles.
Contracting measles also provides your body with these antibodies. Anyone who does not have these antibodies is at risk for measles. However, there are a few groups who have a higher risk of severe complications:
- unvaccinated young children,
- pregnant individuals,
- people with weakened immune systems,
- and infants too young to receive their first routine immunization.
Infants under a year old are especially vulnerable, particularly if they are traveling. This is because their immune systems are still developing. Travel means they are surrounded by high-density crowds in transit hubs where the airborne virus can easily spread.
Children over 1 year old can become fully protected with 2 doses of the MMR vaccine. Infants older than 6 months traveling internationally should get an early dose. They should also get an early dose if they are traveling to domestic areas with ongoing measles outbreaks.
MMR Vaccine Schedule
Measles is more than a bad rash and a fever.
- The CDC reports that about 1 in 5 unvaccinated people who contract measles in the U.S. end up hospitalized.
- As many as 1 in 20 infected children develop pneumonia, which is the leading cause of measles death in kids.
- The CDC’s clinical overview says that roughly 1 in a 1,000 cases progresses to encephalitis. Encephalitis is a dangerous brain swelling that can cause seizures, deafness, or lasting intellectual disability.
- A small number of cases are fatal.
Not sure if you and your family are protected? We can help, whether it’s before a trip or after a possible exposure. Sand Canyon Urgent Care offers walk-in MMR vaccinations and titer testing. Titer testing is a blood test that checks your current immunity with no appointment necessary.
A Record-Breaking Year
California’s measles cases have already doubled year-over-year. At the end of July, the LA Times reported 52 cases in California. That’s twice as many as this time last year. Many of these cases are among children and young adults. The California Department of Public Health reported the tally had increased to 54 confirmed cases just a week and a half later.
Nationally, the CDC has confirmed 2,566 measles cases so far in 2026 — already surpassing the 2,289 cases reported for all of 2025, and the highest annual case count since the U.S. declared measles elimination in 2000. About 94% of this year’s cases were part of identifiable outbreaks.
The reason for these outbreaks? The overwhelming majority of cases – 49 out of 54, or 91% – were contracted by unvaccinated individuals.
Additionally, CalMatters reports, California’s federal funding cuts have put a strain on local health departments that are battling outbreaks across 7 California counties. Lack of funding leads to a lack of awareness and vaccine efficacy, compounding the effects of vaccine hesitancy in many communities.
Anaheim and Orange: A New Local Exposure
The most recent – and closest to home – exposure event was confirmed by the OC Health Care Agency on August 19th, 2026. An Orange County adult tested positive for measles after a locally acquired exposure, and visited several public locations while infectious:
- Anaheim Packing District — August 11, 5 p.m. – 10 p.m.
- Fire and Ice restaurant, Anaheim — August 14, 5 p.m. – 8 p.m.
- BJ’s restaurant, Orange — August 14, 10 p.m. – midnight
- The Escape Game Orange — August 14, 8 p.m. – 11 p.m.
- UCI Health Fountain Valley Cafeteria — August 11 and August 14, 10:40 a.m. – noon
If you were at any of these locations during those windows, the OC Health Care Agency recommends confirming your MMR immunity and watching for fever or an unexplained rash for up to 21 days after exposure. If symptoms develop, call your healthcare provider before showing up in person, so the office can take precautions to avoid exposing other patients.
Vaccination remains the best defense, according to OC Deputy County Health Officer Dr. Anissa Davis, especially with measles outbreaks continuing across the country and around the world.
Disneyland: An Early 2026 Exposure
Southern California’s theme parks got pulled into the outbreak story early in the year. According to AOL/local health officials, by mid-February health departments had confirmed measles cases across Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino, Riverside, and Shasta counties. Of those, 9 cases were linked to possible exposure at Disneyland in Anaheim and at LAX tied to travelers passing through in late January. Tech Times later reported a separate case in which an infected international traveler arrived at LAX and subsequently visited Disneyland Resort while still contagious, putting the 50,000 daily Disneyland visitors at risk.
This isn’t Disneyland’s first brush with measles. About 12 years ago, an exposure at the park triggered California’s largest measles outbreak in decades. Ultimately, 131 people in the state were infected and spread it to 6 other states, plus Canada and Mexico.
Universal Studios Hollywood: The Latest Scare
The most recent exposure event happened at Universal Studios Hollywood. Officials are actively investigating a case involving a visitor who was infectious at the park on Sunday, July 26, 2026, between 10 a.m. and 9 p.m. Anyone present during that window was advised to monitor for symptoms through August 16, the close of the standard 21-day window.
This wasn’t an isolated case. It was the 9th confirmed measles case in LA County this year. Other 2026 exposures have hit the region’s busiest public spaces, too. Someone contagious dined at 3 different LA County restaurants, and 2 June cases were tied to Hollywood Burbank Airport and LAX.
If you were at either park during these windows, Sand Canyon Urgent Care can help you confirm your immunity status or evaluate symptoms. Call ahead before walking in so we can take precautions to protect other patients.
Why Vaccination Coverage Matters So Much
Herd immunity is when a large part of a community has immunity against a contagious disease. This makes the spread of the disease from person to person very unlikely. Herd immunity against measles requires roughly 95% MMR (measles-mumps-rubella) vaccination coverage in a community. When we dip below that threshold, outbreaks can take hold even among people who never travel or knowingly encounter an infected person.
California is actually vaccinated at a higher rate than the country overall. PPIC reports more than 96% of the state’s kindergartners received the MMR vaccine in the 2024–25 school year, versus a national average of just 92.5%. That cushion masks real variation underneath, though. In the 2024–25 school year, 15 of California’s 58 counties fell below the 95% herd-immunity threshold for MMR vaccination. And even counties with strong overall averages aren’t fully safe. When unvaccinated kids cluster in specific schools or neighborhoods, those pockets can spread the virus more easily, even if the county-wide number looks fine.
Common Questions About the Measles Vaccine
How many doses do I need? The CDC recommends a 2-dose schedule, the first between 12 and 15 months of age, the second between ages 4 and 6. A single dose is about 93% effective and 2 doses bring that to roughly 97%.
Do I need a booster later in life? For most people who received the standard childhood 2-dose series, no booster is needed. Protection is lifelong. If you’re unsure of your own vaccination history, a titer test can confirm whether you’re still immune.
What is a titer test, and do I need one? A titer test is a simple blood draw that checks whether your body currently has protective antibodies against measles. This is regardless of why you have them, whether from past vaccination, prior infection, or a booster. It’s the go-to option when:
- you can’t track down old vaccination records,
- when you’re not sure your childhood doses were complete,
- or when you just want confirmation before travel or after a possible exposure.
Results typically take a few days, and it’s worth noting: a titer test can’t diagnose an active infection — if you already have measles symptoms, that’s a call to a healthcare provider, not a lab test.
I already had measles as a kid, am I covered? Natural infection does typically confer lifelong immunity. That said, several childhood illnesses can resemble measles, so a diagnosis made without lab confirmation (especially decades ago) isn’t a guarantee. If there’s any doubt, a titer test is a safer bet than assuming.
How to Protect Yourself and Your Family
The core message from health departments across California is consistent: get vaccinated, and get vaccinated before you travel. Since a large share of this year’s California cases trace back to international travelers, that’s especially worth acting on if you have upcoming trips planned. If you’re not already vaccinated, both adults and children 12 and older should get 2 MMR doses, spaced at least 28 days apart, before traveling.
⚠️ Were you at:
1. The Anaheim, Orange, or Fountain Valley locations flagged by OC Health Care Agency mid-August?
2. Universal Studios Hollywood on July 26?
3. Or at Disneyland during the exposure windows earlier this year?
If you’re unsure of your immunity, a titer test at Sand Canyon Urgent Care can confirm where you stand.
Watch for symptoms in the meantime: fever, cough, runny nose, red eyes, and the characteristic rash that typically starts at the hairline and spreads downward. If symptoms develop, call ahead before visiting a doctor’s office or ER so the facility can take precautions to avoid exposing others.
Not sure where you stand? Walk-in MMR vaccination and titer testing are both available at Sand Canyon Urgent Care. Schedule an appointment online or walk in when you’re ready.
