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Measles has returned to Southern California; here’s what you need to know

March 13, 2025

A sign is posted on a the receptionist desk in the family medicine wing of at the Texas Tech Physicians of the Permian Basin Monday, Feb. 24, 2025, in Odessa, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

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A sign is posted on a the receptionist desk in the family medicine wing of at the Texas Tech Physicians of the Permian Basin Monday, Feb. 24, 2025, in Odessa, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

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Measles? That’s a disease medical science conquered long ago, right?

Not quite right. While modern vaccines have the disease largely under control, frightening — sometimes deadly — outbreaks still occur. And cases are on the rise this year, alarming officials nationwide.

Measles outbreaks in West Texas and New Mexico now total more than 250 cases, and two unvaccinated people have died from measles-related causes. Recently, measles cases were reported in Orange County — an infant returning home after international travel on Feb. 19 — and in Los Angeles County a person returning to LAX from China on March 11.

Measles is caused by a highly contagious virus that’s airborne and spreads easily when an infected person breathes, sneezes or coughs. It is preventable through vaccines, and has been considered eliminated in the U.S. since 2000. But outbreaks still arise like the cases that erupted in the Southwest U.S. this week. And, though not that common, so do deaths — a school-age child died of measles in Texas last month, and New Mexico reported its first measles-related death in an adult last week.

While most people afflicted experience complete recoveries, it’s not a disease to be taken lightly, experts say.

Measles cases reported in the U.S. this year — including five in California — are likely to increase given the ongoing outbreak in West Texas and bordering New Mexico, according to the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health. Outbreaks have grown in these states in recent weeks, particularly in communities where vaccination levels are lower.

“To prevent an outbreak from happening, you need to vaccinate about 95% of the susceptible population because measles is so contagious. It’s just about the most contagious pathogen that we know,” said Dr. Timothy Brewer, a professor of medicine in the division of infectious diseases at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA and of epidemiology at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health.

“In California, our vaccination rates are about 95%,” Brewer said. “In Texas, they’re below that — and at least as of 2023, it was running around 90-94% in Texas. I suspect they’ve dropped even further since then, that’s definitely what’s contributing to the outbreak in Texas.”

Even a small decline in vaccination can significantly increase the likelihood of an outbreak. Measles can “easily cross borders” in any community where vaccination rates are below 95 percent, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control.

“Measles is the most contagious infectious disease, and is easily spread person to person through the air, so there is a concern of an outbreak whenever we see an increase in cases,” said Dr. Anissa Davis, Long Beach health officer.

All measles cases diagnosed in California this year involved recent international travelers. Prior to this case, the last case of measles in a Los Angeles County resident was reported in February 2024.

Here’s what you need to know about the measles and how to protect yourself:

What are the symptoms?

Measles can cause a fever, cough, runny nose, watery eyes and tiny white spots in the mouth, called Koplik spots. As the disease progresses, some may experience a measles rash generally appearing three to five days after the first symptoms. The measles rash typically starts on the face and then spreads down the body, and looks like small, raised bumps or flat red spots.

Measles can cause serious complications, leading to hospitalization for about 1 in 5 unvaccinated individuals in the United States, the Long Beach health officer said. Common complications are ear infections and diarrhea. It can also cause serious illness, such as pneumonia, encephalitis (swelling of the brain), and even death.

Who is most vulnerable to get measles?

Young children and people who are pregnant or have weakened immune systems are at a higher risk for life-threatening complications from infection, said Davis.

People who have not had measles before and have not yet obtained the measles vaccine are also at risk of contracting measles if they are exposed.

What should I do if I think I may have measles?

If you think that you or someone in your family has been exposed to or has measles, contact your doctor’s office immediately. Tell them that you might have measles before you go, so they can take steps to prevent other patients and staff from being exposed.

Health officials recommend that those at risk are advised to speak with a health care provider about receiving immunization, monitor themselves for signs of illness from seven days to 21 days after their exposure, and if symptoms do develop, to stay home and avoid school, work and gatherings.

“If you’ve been exposed to someone with measles and you’re not sure of your vaccination status, again, reach out to your healthcare provider because getting vaccinated within 72 hours of being exposed to measles can help to reduce the risk of serious disease,” Brewer said.

Long Beach’s Davis also recommends people wear a facemask that covers the nose and mouth; frequently washing hands with soap and water; and disinfecting frequently touched surfaces, such as doorknobs and counters.

How can measles be prevented?

Getting vaccinated is the best way to keep from getting and spreading measles, Brewer said.

“The most important thing you can do to protect yourself is to get vaccinated,” he said.

The measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine is very safe and is more than 95% effective in preventing disease, according to the health department. People should get the MMR vaccine if they haven’t been vaccinated, or do not know if they got the MMR vaccine before.

Kids should be vaccinated at 12-15 months of age, and again at 4-6 years of age.

Do adults need a measles vaccine booster?

A “booster” or third dose of measles vaccine is not recommended, according to the L.A. County Department of Public Health. Two doses of live measles vaccine (MMR or MMRV) are considered to provide long-lasting immunity. However, adults who do not have presumptive evidence of immunity to measles should get vaccinated.

Where else is measles showing up in the U.S.?

Measles cases have been reported in Alaska, California, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Vermont.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention defines an outbreak as three or more related cases — and there have been three clusters that qualified as outbreaks in 2025.

In the U.S., cases and outbreaks are generally traced to someone who caught the disease abroad. It can then spread, especially in communities with low vaccination rates.

Why do vaccination rates matter?

In communities with high vaccination rates — above 95% — diseases like measles have a harder time spreading through communities. This is called “herd immunity.”

But childhood vaccination rates have declined nationwide since the pandemic and more parents are claiming religious or personal conscience waivers to exempt their kids from required shots.

The U.S. saw a rise in measles cases in 2024, including an outbreak in Chicago that sickened more than 60. Five years earlier, measles cases were the worst in almost three decades in 2019.

Why is there rekindled debate over vaccines?

The new Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., among others, stoked uncertainty about vaccines during his brief presidential run and has sent a mixed message since taking office.

Last week, Kennedy outlined a strategy for containing the measles outbreak in West Texas that endorsed vaccinations in the affected community, but said the choice was a personal one and concurrently embraced fringe theories about prevention and treatments.

He suggested that measles vaccine injuries were more common than known, contrary to extensive research from experts. He cheered treatments such as cod liver oil, and said that local doctors had achieved “almost miraculous and instantaneous” recoveries with steroids or antibiotics.

Local officials and medical leaders, while acknowledging vaccines are never perfect, still urge people to get their shots.

“With measles outbreaks happening both in the United States and internationally, this recent case in our county highlights how important it is for anyone who has not been immunized to get the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine,” said Dr. Muntu Davis, L.A. County health officer.

What do I need to know about the most recent case in L.A. County? Could I have been exposed?

In collaboration with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, passengers assigned to specific seats who may have been exposed on China Airlines flight CAL8/CI8 that arrived in Los Angeles on March 5 will be notified by local departments of health, according to the county Department of Public Health.

Additionally, individuals who were at the following locations on the specified dates and times may be at risk of developing measles due to exposure to this individual:

— Wednesday, March 5 between 7 p.m. to 10:40 p.m.: Tom Bradley International Terminal (Terminal B) at LAX;

— Friday, March 7, between 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.: Cloud 9 Nail Salon, 5142 N. Lankershim Blvd., North Hollywood;

— Monday, March 10 between 8:15 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.: Superior Grocery Store, 10683 Valley Blvd., El Monte.

If exposed individuals have not had measles in the past and have not yet obtained the measles vaccine, they are at risk of contracting measles, officials said.

The Associated Press, City News Service and New York Times contributed to this report

Measles has returned to Southern California; here’s what you need to know Orange County Register

News Details

Measles has returned to Southern California; here’s what you need to know

What are the symptoms?

Who is most vulnerable to get measles?

What should I do if I think I may have measles?

How can measles be prevented?

Do adults need a measles vaccine booster?

Where else is measles showing up in the U.S.?

Why do vaccination rates matter?

Why is there rekindled debate over vaccines?

What do I need to know about the most recent case in L.A. County? Could I have been exposed?

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