Nine US Visitors To Disney Park Get Measles, The 'Eradicated' Illness

Nine travellers to Disneyland, or Disney's California Adventure Park in Anaheim, have been stricken by measles, according to the state Department of Public Health announcement on Wednesday.

Though it is an illness that was eradicated in the US by 2000, there are still outbreaks of measles in other countries such as in Western Europe, Pakistan, Vietnam and the Philippines, health officials said. Disneyland and other theme parks attract international attention. Obviously, visitors have been drawn from areas where measles is rampant, according to nbcloseangeles.com.

State health officials felt that just one patient of the infectious measles was probably at one of the theme parks and started spreading it. All the patients as well as three more suspected of having the diseases confirmed that they were at one or both the parks between December 15 and 20, say the health officials, according to cbs8.com.

Although the source of the infection is being probed, health officials explain that maybe someone with measles was at one of the theme parks in that time.

"We are working with the health department to provide any information and assistance we can," said Dr. Pamela Hymel, chief medical officer at Walt Disney Parks and Resorts. A Disneyland spokesperson added that more questions and queries would be passed on to the Department of Public Health.

Seven of those having the illness now are from California---San Diego, Orange, Pasadena, Riverside and Alameda, according to the CDPH. Two others are from Utah. The three suspected patients are all from California.

"If you have symptoms and believe you may have been exposed, please contact your health care provider," said Dr. Ron Chapman, director of the California Department of Public Health. "The best way to prevent measles and its spread is to get vaccinated.

The patients are from different ages---8 months to 21 years. Six of them had not even received vaccinations, and two of them were too young, according to the state officials.

According to the state, measles starts with some temperature, while the cough, runny nose and red eyes kick in quickly. Then there will be a red rash soon, starting on the face and then moving on to the rest of the body. Measles is thus an infectious, airborne disease.