Health officials in Orange County are sounding the alarm after confirming a recent measles case involving a child who visited Disneyland last week.
The Orange County Health Care Agency said on Saturday that the child was an international traveler who arrived at the region at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX). That individual then traveled to Disneyland Resort on Wednesday. According to health officials, the potential exposure window is as follows:
- Goofy’s Kitchen in Disneyland Hotel, 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. on Wednesday
- Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure Park, 12:30 p.m. to closing on Wednesday.
Health officials said they’re working with Disneyland to get in touch with employees who may have been exposed to the disease. Visitors who were at the theme park during those times may be at risk of developing the disease from seven to 21 days after being exposed, according to Orange County health officials.
Dr. Danielle Curitore, a pediatrician at Sant Joseph Heritage Providence, said measles is very contagious.
“Very similar to these respiratory viruses, but even more so because it can be in a close setting and if that person with measles sneezes or coughs and transmits some respiratory droplets, you are exposed,” she said. “And that room that they’ve been in is also contagious for at least two hours after they left.”
Doctors say people who got the measles vaccination once in their lifetime are fully protected from the disease. Those who have not had the vaccine are at greater risk for illness.
Health officials are warning of at least five new measles cases in Southern California. Brittany Hope reports for the NBC4 News at 6 a.m. on Feb. 2, 2026.
“Your best protection is to be vaccinated, so if you’ve been vaccinated against measles and you’ve received your two doses of measles vaccine at any point, those are usually given in childhood but you do continue to be immune as you get older,” Curitore said.
Symptoms of the disease include rash, high fever and cough.
“Sometimes it just starts out like the common cold cough congestion: high fever sometimes conjunctivitis can be part of it,” Curitore said. “Then day three to five, you get that very classic measles rash, which usually starts on the face, center of the body.”
For guidance from the Orange County Health Care Agency, click here.