Measles outbreak in Northern CA puts state, capital health officials on alert
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- Shasta outbreak is California’s first since 2020; the north state county reports 8 cases.
- Officials urge MMR vaccination and checking immunization status via state records.
- Local health departments are tracing exposures, notifying potential Disneyland contacts.
State public health officials said they were “strongly urging” Californians to get vaccinated and check their immunization status after a new measles outbreak in Shasta County — the state’s first since 2020 — put health agencies on alert.
Shasta County officials have reported eight measles cases — nearly half of the 17 reported statewide — as of Monday, according to the California Department of Public Health.
All of the Shasta County cases involved people who were either unvaccinated or had an unknown vaccination history, state health officials said. The seven newly identified cases were “close contacts of the first case,” the Shasta County Health and Human Services Agency said in a Tuesday update.
“These patients have been working closely with Public Health from the beginning and agreed early on to stay home and isolate before they became contagious,” the county health officials said, adding that the patients will remain isolated until they are no longer contagious.
Measles is a highly contagious viral disease that disproportionately affects the unvaccinated. Children and people who are pregnant face the highest risk of severe illness and death. About 90% of unvaccinated people exposed to measles will contract the disease. Infected people can spread measles from about four days before a rash appears through four days after it begins.
Symptoms include fever lasting about two days, runny nose, conjunctivitis, also known as pink eye, and a rash.
“As a pediatrician and parent, I encourage families to make sure everyone gets up to date on their MMR vaccine, if they haven’t already,” said Dr. Erica Pan, CDPH director and state public health officer, in a statement. The MMR vaccine provides the best protection against measles, mumps and rubella.
“CDPH continues to coordinate with, and support, local health departments in their responses to stop measles from spreading further in our communities,” Pan said in the statement.
New cases have also been reported in Los Angeles, Riverside, San Bernardino and Orange counties, where two cases were recently traced to an active case at Disneyland in Anaheim. The two people visited Disneyland on Jan. 22 and Jan. 28 while infectious, CDPH officials said.
State health officials said Tuesday that local health departments are working with Disneyland Resort to notify potentially exposed employees. People who visited Disneyland on either date should contact their health care provider if they develop measles symptoms, CDPH said.
Last week, state public health officials issued an alert to health care providers statewide, directing them to consider measles in patients with fever, rash and other measles-consistent symptoms. The alert also urged providers to ensure that people planning international travel are up to date on their measles vaccinations.
Sacramento County public health officials Tuesday echoed the call, urging residents to remain vigilant by checking their immunization status and vaccination records.
“Even though we haven’t seen local cases, the rise in cases in other counties and recent exposures at large public venues remind us how easily this dangerous virus can spread,” said Dr. Olivia Kasirye, Sacramento County Public Health Officer, in a statement Tuesday.
“I urge everyone to check their vaccination status, especially before traveling or attending crowded events,” Kasirye said. “Your actions protect not only your loved ones but everyone around you.”
Health officials nationwide are contending with the highest number of measles outbreaks, hospitalizations and deaths in 30 years, a surge officials attribute to declining vaccination rates. The largest outbreak, in South Carolina, has been linked to 920 cases to date, state officials said.
Families can check their vaccination status through the California Digital Vaccine Record and schedule vaccination appointments at MyTurn.ca.gov or through their local pharmacy or health care provider.
This story was originally published February 10, 2026 at 4:04 PM with the headline "Measles outbreak in Northern CA puts state, capital health officials on alert."
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