Person with measles traveled to Disneyland while infectious, officials say

A Los Angeles County resident with measles went to Disneyland last week while infectious, public health officials confirmed Tuesday.

On Oct. 16, the resident went to the Starbucks at 3006 S. Sepulveda Blvd. in West Los Angeles before traveling to Disneyland.

Other people might have been exposed to measles at the locations. The case is linked to a recent case in L.A. County.

Anyone who was at the Starbucks location between 7:50 a.m. and 10 a.m., or at Disneyland between 9:15 a.m. and 8:35 p.m. is at risk of developing measles for up to 21 days after being exposed, county health officials said in a statement Tuesday night.

These residents should review their vaccination and medical records to determine whether they’re protected against measles.

People who have not had a measles infection previously or received the measles vaccination might not be immune and should talk with a health care provider about receiving the vaccination, which does not cause autism.

Anyone who visited the sites during the exposure time should contact and notify their healthcare provider as soon as possible about a potential exposure if they are pregnant, have a weakened immune system or are not vaccinated. Parents of infants should also contact their healthcare providers if their infants were at the sites during the exposure times.

The news comes about two months after a teenager from New Zealand visited Los Angeles and Orange counties and went to Disneyland in August while she was sick with measles.

In 2014, California experienced a large measles outbreak after someone with measles visited Disneyland over the holidays.

Measles immunizations are available at healthcare providers, local pharmacies or health clinics. Public health clinics offer no- or low-cost vaccinations for individuals who are uninsured or underinsured.

There have been 19 measles cases among Los Angeles County residents in 2019, in addition to 11 non-resident measles cases that traveled through Los Angeles County — excluding Long Beach and Pasadena, as cases identified in those cities are reported by their local health departments — according to the county health department.

The majority of cases to date were unvaccinated or did not know whether they had ever been vaccinated.

“For those who are not protected, measles is a highly contagious and potentially severe disease that initially causes fever, cough, red, watery eyes, and, finally, a rash,” said Dr. Muntu Davis, Los Angeles County health officer. “Measles is spread by air and by direct contact even before you know have it. The MMR immunization is a very effective measure to protect yourself and to prevent the unintentional spread of this potentially serious infection to others.”

Times staff writer Soumya Karlamangla contributed to this report.