Highest reported measles cases in the U.S. for the month of January in over 26 years – NBC Los Angeles

We are seeing the highest reported measles cases in the United States for the month of January in 26 years. Health officials say they are linked to ongoing outbreaks in South Carolina, Utah and Arizona.

Several of those cases are also in LA and Orange Counties, including Disneyland.

In the last week there have been at least five new cases in Southern California where two had no public exposure, but three did.

Those three also traveled internationally and spent time in very crowded places. 

Public health officials say a person, whose age has not been released, arrived at LAX on Viva Aerobus Flight 518 from Guadalajara, Mexico on January 26. They spent time in the LAX Terminal B from 10:45 that night to 1am on January 27.

This same person also went to the Dunkin Donuts on 22020 Ventura Blvd in Woodland Hills Jan. 30 from 3 p.m. to 4:45 p.m.

In Orange County, health officials say a young adult with Measles possibly exposed people at the EOS Gym in Ladera Ranch on Jan. 23 from 2 to 6 p.m. And then the AFC Urgent Care in Ladera Ranch from 3:30 to 6 p.m., and three days later at the same clinic on Jan. 26 from 5 to 7 p.m.

Another person in Orange County with the measles whose age has not been released, traveled to Goofy’s Kitchen at the Disneyland Hotel on Jan. 28^th from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., and then to the Disneyland Park and California Adventure from 12:30 p.m. to closing time.

If you think you’ve been exposed, health officials say people may be at risk of developing measles about 7 to 21 days after exposure.

Those without the vaccine should monitor themselves for symptoms. After 21 days they are no longer at risk.

Measles spreads easily through the air when an infected person breathes, talks, coughs, or sneezes and the virus can stay in the air and on surfaces for many hours. 

“It’s just like any other virus. It’s just this one has the side effects of it can kill you by causing encephalitis, pneumonia, and some other bad things that you don’t want,” said Dr. Joshua Partnow an Emergency Room Physician with Dignity Health California Hospital.

“So right now, those that are not getting vaccinated are going to be not only exposed more often, because there are people that have the measles, but then their body isn’t going to be strong enough to fight that off. The measles vaccine is really really effective,”  Partnow said. “It’s disappointing because it’s something that we had under control, you know, like polio. If you vaccinated enough people in a cohort of folks, then you’ve got what’s called herd immunity. So you’re just not getting infected because you’re not getting exposed.”

As of Jan. 30, health officials say a total of 588 measles cases nationwide have been reported this year.

Which is the highest number of cases in January since 2000 when the United States achieved elimination status.