Measles cases grow in SoCal; one infected person flew into LAX, spent hours at Disney park
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- A second Orange County measles case was reported in an international traveler who arrived at LAX and then visited a Disney park.
- Three measles cases have been confirmed in L.A. County in the last week, all in residents who traveled internationally.
As measles outbreaks grow nationally and internationally, cases are increasing in the Southland — including one confirmed Monday in an international traveler who arrived at Los Angeles International Airport and then later visited a Disney park.
In the last week, Orange County has confirmed two cases and L.A. County has confirmed three cases, with the most recent Los Angeles case announced Monday evening in a resident who visited a Sherman Oaks restaurant while infectious.
All infections thus far have been recorded in people who had traveled internationally, and public health officials in both counties are urging residents to get vaccinated.
On Wednesday, an infected person visited Goofy’s Kitchen from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at Downtown Disney, the shopping and restaurant district adjacent to the park, and then Disney California Adventure Park from 12:30 p.m. to closing, according to a news release from the Orange County Health Care Agency.
In L.A. County, an infected person visited Mardi Gras Tuesday restaurant at 14543 Ventura Blvd. on Jan. 24 from around 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., according to a news release from the L.A. County Department of Public Health.
The Department of Public Health confirms the first 2026 measles cases in Los Angeles County, urges protection before traveling.
People who were at those locations have a risk of developing measles seven to 21 days after being exposed, according to the releases. Those who visited the amusement park on Wednesday have been advised to talk to their healthcare provider about vaccination and their immunity status.
“Measles doesn’t only affect people who travel internationally — everyone is at risk if they’re not protected,” Dr. Anissa Davis, Orange County’s deputy county health officer, said in the release. “Because measles is highly contagious, it can spread quickly within communities, even among those who haven’t traveled. The best way to protect yourself and your loved ones is to get vaccinated before exposure occurs.”
Disney officials do not release daily attendance figures, but a longtime Walt Disney Engineering director revealed in 2019 that Disneyland attendance on a “normal day” was 65,000. The Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge expansion completed that year increased daily capacity to about 80,000, according to insiders. Daily attendance at Disney’s California Adventure Park is 24,000 to 27,000, according to estimates by Disney followers and insiders.
Earlier last week, the OC Healthcare Agency confirmed a measles case in a young adult who recently traveled internationally. The infected person visited a gym in Ladera Ranch on Jan. 23 and an urgent care facility on Jan. 23 and 26.
Under Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the Trump administration’s health agencies have muddled vaccine messaging. The result is that vaccine-preventable diseases like measles are surging in the U.S.
L.A. County’s public health department confirmed its first measles case Friday, its second case Saturday and its third case Monday.
The county has not identified any public exposure locations for the first case. However, people who were at LAX Terminal B from 10:45 p.m. on Jan. 26 to 1 a.m. on Jan. 27 and people who were at the Dunkin’ Donuts at 22020 Ventura Blvd. in Woodland Hills from 3 to 4:45 p.m. on Friday may have been exposed to the second case.
People who aren’t fully immunized should contact a healthcare provider if exposure happened less than a week ago, according to the release. Immunoglobulin is recommended for some people, such as infants under 12 months, pregnant people without immunity and those with weakened immune systems.
If exposure happened more than a week ago, non-immune people should stay home and limit interactions for 21 days after being exposed, according to the release. People should monitor their symptoms and watch for a fever and/or a rash for up to 21 days after exposure.
The Health Care Agency’s Communicable Disease Control Division is working with Disneyland to contact employees who may have been exposed to measles, according to the release.
U.S. measles cases have increased as vaccination rates have fallen in recent years, allowing the highly contagious virus to spread in communities with lower immunization coverage.
According to the CDC, there were 3,246 total confirmed measles cases in the U.S. from 2014 through 2024. In 2025, there were 2,267 cases, which is the highest yearly total since the early 1990s.
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