Disneyland Measles Outbreak Update: Virus Spreads to Bay Area

The measles outbreak linked to two Disney theme parks has continued to spread, health officials reported. The virus has reportedly spread to the Bay Area.

Public health authorities are recommending everyone living within the nearby areas to get vaccinated if they have not done so already. People who do not want to get vaccinated should avoid public areas.

"We can expect to see many more cases of this vaccine-preventable disease unless people take precautionary measures," said Dr. Gil Chavez, deputy director of the Center for Infectious Diseases with the California Department of Public Health. "I am asking unvaccinated Californians to consider getting immunized to protect themselves and family and community at large."

Since mid-December, California has reported 59 measles cases. The officials reported that 42 out of the 59 infected people have either gone to Disneyland or the adjacent California Adventure Park in Anaheim or came into contact with people who have visited those parks. So far the cases have mainly been concentrated in Southern California. Some of the infected people were employees at either park.

The officials were able to determine the vaccination status of 34 patients and found that the majority of them, at 28, were not vaccinated. This number included six infants who were too young to get the vaccine.

"It's pretty clear we've seen some cases that go beyond the initial outbreak of Disneyland. That tells me you're having transmission that's occurring in our communities now," said Dr. Stephen Parodi, director of hospital operations for Kaiser Northern California, reported by the San Francisco Gate. "California had a large outbreak of measles back in the early 1990s that was related to under-vaccination of people. That turned into a 6,000- to 8,000-person outbreak. We have the opportunity now to avoid that. If we bring people in and get the measles vaccine we can prevent it."

According to the Washington Post, the total number of infected people has risen to 70. Overall, cases have been reported in 11 counties in California, Utah, Washington state, Colorado, Oregon and Mexico.

Measles is a highly contagious disease that was eradicated within the U.S. The virus can cause initial symptoms such as high fever, runny nose and watery eyes. More distinctive symptoms, such as rash and red eyes, manifest later on. The best form of prevention is the vaccine, which can prevent the illness in 99 percent of people.