Case counts updated through 4/30/2026.

Case count includes all confirmed measles cases reported to and investigated by Los Angeles County with rash onset in 2026, defined by the current national case definition established by the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists. In general, reporting is based on the case’s place of usual residence, not where exposure happened or the location of the case while infectious. For non-U.S. residents, a case is counted by the jurisdiction that is handling the case investigation.

Public notifications, including press releases, are issued on an as-needed basis for select cases based on public health risk when a confirmed measles case—regardless of jurisdiction—involves a public exposure in Los Angeles County that poses a risk of transmission to the broader community. This may include individuals who reside outside Los Angeles County and are not included in the county’s measles case count but were present in Los Angeles County while infectious.

Measles-Related Press Releases

• February 19, 2026: Public Health Confirms Measles Case in LA County - Public Advised to Take Preventive Steps and Ensure Measles Protection.
• February 2, 2026: LA County Confirms Third Measles Case; All Cases Are Travel-Related - Community urged to ensure protection and take recommended precautions.
• January 31, 2026: Public Health Confirms Second 2026 Measles Case Linked to Traveler.
• January 30, 2026: Public Health Confirms First 2026 Measles Case in Los Angeles County - Community urged to ensure immunity before traveling.

For a complete listing of all press releases from Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, please visit our Communications and Public Affairs site.

Common symptoms for measles include:

• High fever (higher than 101°F)
• Cough
• Runny nose
• Red and watery eyes
• Tiny white spots (Koplik spots) that may appear inside the mouth 2-3 days after other symptoms start
• Rash that starts 3-5 days after other symptoms started. The “measles rash” usually starts on the face and then spreads down to the rest of the body.

Measles can cause several health complications. Common complications include ear infections and diarrhea. About 1 in 5 people who are not vaccinated in the United States who get measles will be hospitalized. Serious complications include lung infection (pneumonia), dehydration, or swelling of the brain (encephalitis). In rare cases, the measles virus can affect the brain years after a child has recovered from illness, causing brain damage and death. Before widespread vaccines in the United States, hundreds of people died from measles every year.

Those who are more likely to have serious complications due to measles are:

• Children younger than 5 years of age
• Pregnant people
• People with weakened immune systems

• The virus spreads easily through the air when an infected person breathes, talks, coughs, or sneezes.
• The virus can stay in the air for up to two hours, even after the infected person has left.
• The infected person can spread the disease up to four days before a measles rash appears and up to four days after the rash appears.

If you are confirmed to have measles, you should stay at home away from other people until the 5th day after your rash started. This will help make sure that you do not spread measles to others.

If you are a health care provider whose patient has symptoms compatible with measles, call LACDPH immediately.

If you think you or your someone in your family may have measles because you or they have symptoms, have not been vaccinated against measles, and/or have been traveling:

• Stay home and call your doctor right away and let them know your concerns.
• Your doctor may be able to determine if you have protection against measles based on your vaccine record or previous lab results.
• Your doctor may also make special arrangements to evaluate you to limit risk to other patients and staff. If your doctor tells you to come in for testing, make sure to wear a face mask that covers your nose and mouth.
• Stay away from other people and stay away from places where there are large groups of people who are at higher risk of getting sick, such as schools, daycare, and hospital or urgent care waiting rooms, before talking to your doctor. This will help make sure that you do not spread measles to others.

If you think you have been exposed to someone with measles:

• Call your doctor right away to let them know you may have been exposed to someone with measles.
• Your doctor may be able to determine if you have protection against measles based on your vaccine record or previous lab results.
• Your doctor may also make special arrangements to evaluate you to limit risk to other patients and staff. If your doctor tells you to come in for testing, make sure to wear a face mask that covers your nose and mouth.
• Do not leave your home until your doctor says it is okay. Stay away from places where there are large groups of people who are at higher risk of getting sick, such as schools, daycare, and hospital or urgent care waiting rooms. This will help make sure that you do not spread measles to others.

The best way to protect yourself, your family, and your community against measles is to get 2 doses of the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine. The MMR vaccine is safe and works very well at preventing measles. Two doses are 97% effective, and one dose is 93% effective in preventing measles. The spread of measles can be prevented if at least 95% of community members have received 2 doses of the MMR vaccine.

Most people born or attending school in the United States get vaccinated when they are children. They receive their first dose at 12-15 months of age and their second dose at 4-6 years of age. If you did not receive vaccine as a child, you should get vaccinated against measles.

There are two types of measles vaccines:

• Measles-mumps-rubella vaccine (MMR) for people who are 12 months old and older.
• Measles-mumps-rubella-varicella vaccine (MMRV) for people who are 12 months to 12 years old.

Measles can be prevented with the MMR or MMRV vaccine. California requires that children receive at least one dose of the MMR or MMRV vaccine before starting school or childcare.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that children get two doses of MMR or MMRV vaccine:

• Dose 1 at 12-15 months old, and Dose 2 at 4-6 years old (before starting kindergarten).
  • Children can get the second dose earlier as long as it is at least 28 days after the first dose.
• Infants 6-11 months old should get one dose of the MMR vaccine before traveling internationally or traveling to a place with a measles outbreak.
  • Infants who get one dose of the MMR vaccine before they are 12 months old should get two more doses of the MMR or MMRV vaccine at 12-15 months old and at 4-6 years old.

Other vaccines can be given at the same time as the MMR or MMRV vaccine.

Who SHOULD get the vaccine:

• Children who are 12 months to 18 years old should get two doses of MMR vaccine.
  • Children 12 months through 12 years old can get either MMR or MMRV vaccine.
• Adults born in 1957 or later who have never had measles and have never been vaccinated against measles should get at least one dose of MMR vaccine.
• Some adults should get two doses of MMR vaccine; these are people who have never had measles and have never been vaccinated against measles and are:
  • Healthcare workers
  • Students in college or university
  • International travelers
  • Household or other close contacts of immunocompromised people
  • Those with HIV who have CD4 percentages ≥15% and CD4 count ≥200 cells/mm³ for at least 6 months

Who should NOT get the vaccine:

• Anyone with a severe, life-threatening allergy or who has had an allergic reaction to any part of the MMR or MMRV vaccine
• Anyone with a severely weakened immune system, or who has a family history of conditions that severely weaken the immune system, unless you've been cleared by your doctor
• Anyone who is pregnant or thinks they might be pregnant

Who should talk to their doctor before getting the vaccine:

• Anyone who got an antibody-containing blood product (like immune globulin/IG) less than a year ago

Talk to your doctor if you have any of these health conditions or other precautions for vaccination.

Learn more about who should get the MMR vaccine.

If you are an adult who is planning international travel or traveling within the United States in known measles outbreak areas, you should get vaccinated against measles if you did not receive 2 doses as a child.

If your child is 6-11 months old and you’re planning international travel or traveling to an area in the United States experiencing an outbreak, you should speak to your child’s provider to get an early dose of vaccine against measles. After that, your child should follow the recommended schedule and get:

• Another dose at 12 through 15 months.
• A final dose at 4 through 6 years.

If you or your child are 12 months old or older and planning international travel or traveling to an area in the United States experiencing an outbreak, you should receive your first dose of vaccine against measles immediately. You can get a second dose as soon as 4 weeks after your first dose.

You should plan to be fully vaccinated against measles at least 2 weeks before you depart. If your trip is less than 2 weeks away and you're not protected, you should still get a dose of MMR.

Watch your health for 3 weeks after you return from your trip. Measles is very contagious and can spread to others through coughing and sneezing.

Call your doctor immediately if you or your child gets sick with a rash and fever. Tell your doctor you traveled abroad, and whether you have received MMR vaccine.

• Measles symptoms typically include:
  • High fever (may spike to more than 104°F)
  • Cough
  • Runny nose (coryza)
  • Red, watery eyes (conjunctivitis or pink eye)
  • Rash (starts 3-5 days after other symptoms start)

If you have insurance:

• Talk to your doctor or check with your local pharmacy to see what vaccines they offer.
• Most health insurance plans cover the cost of recommended vaccines for children and adults.

If you are uninsured or underinsured:

• Programs are available to help cover the cost of vaccines.
• Children 18 years or younger may receive vaccines at no cost through the Vaccines for Children (VFC) Program if they are:
  • Eligible for or are enrolled in Medi-Cal
  • American Indian or Alaskan Native
  • Uninsured (do not have health insurance)
  • Underinsured (private health insurance does not cover the full cost of vaccines)
• Adults who are uninsured or underinsured may be able to get free or low-cost vaccines at clinics enrolled in the Vaccines for Adults (VFA) program. For more information on who is eligible, read VFA Eligibility Based on Insurance Status.

Locating Vaccine Clinics:

• A list of free and low-cost clinics in Los Angeles County.
• Interactive county map to locate free and low-cost vaccine clinics.
• Call 1-833-540-0473 (Public Health InfoLine) for a list of free or low-cost vaccine clinics. This includes Vaccines for Children (VFC) provider locations that serve Medi-Cal eligible children and uninsured or underinsured adults.

• Immunization Schedules: Birth to 6 Years Old | 7 to 18 Years Old | 19 Years Old and Older (AAP & AAFP)
• What You Need to Know: MMR Vaccine | MMRV Vaccine (Immunize.org)
• Measles: Questions and Answers (Immunize.org)
• Measles: What Parents Need to Know (AAP)
• How to Protect Your Children During a Measles Outbreak (AAP)
• Measles Vaccine (AAP)
• Measles (History of Vaccines)
• Travelers' Health: Travel Vaccines (LAC DPH)
• Paying for Vaccines (LAC DPH)
• Measles Resources (CDPH)

Posters in multiple languages (CDPH)

• Visiting Another Country? Think Measles (before + after)
  • English | Español | Русский | Tagalog | українська | Tiếng Việt | Additional Languages
• Traveled Recently? (fever + travel)
  • English | Español | Русский | Tagalog | українська
• Put Measles on the Spot: Immunize Your Family
  • English | हिन्दी | Tagalog | แบบไทย | Tiếng Việt

• Consider measles in any patient with a febrile rash and clinically compatible symptoms (see Clinical Presentation below), especially if they are unvaccinated or under-vaccinated or have any of the following risk factors in the past 4 weeks:
  • Travel, especially international or domestic through an international airport.
  • Contact with someone with a febrile rash illness.
  • Exposure to a known or possible measles case.

• Immunocompetent patients with measles typically exhibit high fever, with one or more of the “3 C’s” - conjunctivitis, coryza (runny nose), and cough. Patients may have erythematous, white or grey specks on the buccal mucosa, commonly referred to as Koplik spots, prior to the onset of rash.
• Two to 4 days after initial symptoms, measles rash usually begins along face and hairline and spreads downwards to trunk. Patients are typically infectious 4 days prior to onset of rash to 4 days after rash.
• Even in previously healthy children, measles can cause serious complications. The most common reasons for hospitalizations include dehydration, pneumonia, and diarrhea. Additionally,1 out of every 1,000 measles cases will develop acute encephalitis, which often results in permanent brain damage. Tragically, 1 to 3 out of every 1,000 children who become infected with measles will die from respiratory and neurologic complications.
• Finally, subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE) is a rare but fatal degenerative disease of the central nervous system that can occur 7-10 years after measles infection.

• If possible, screen patients prior to their arrival at the healthcare setting. Patients with a febrile rash and clinically compatible measles symptoms who are unimmunized or who have had international travel or other potential exposures to measles should be evaluated before clinic opens or after it has closed, to avoid exposing other patients. Alternatively, they can be screened in a car (if available).
• Patients with signs or symptoms of measles should be rapidly identified and isolated from other patients prior to or as soon as possible after entry into the facility.
• Patients with suspected measles should wear a well-fitted medical mask or respirator and be placed in an airborne infection isolation room if one is available. If this cannot take place, escort masked patient away from other patients directly to a private room for evaluation and specimen collection. Do not use this room again until at least one hour after the patient has departed the room.
• If a private room is not available, evaluation and specimen collection can be considered outside the health center, e.g., in patient’s car.

Do not wait for laboratory confirmation - report immediately by telephone for both confirmed and suspected cases upon clinical suspicion of measles. Public Health will guide you through the collection of specimens for testing and management of the patient under investigation as well as asymptomatic contacts for suspected or confirmed cases. Consultation is required before sending specimens to the Public Health Laboratory:

• Weekdays 8:30 am – 5:00 pm: Call 213-351-7800 - Epidemiologist on Duty
• Non-business hours/weekends: Call 213-974-1234 (option 8) - Administrative Officer on Duty

After the initial report, please send the patient’s medical records and any available immunization records and/or laboratory results via secure email to vpdc@ph.lacounty.gov or fax to 213-351-2782.

Laboratory confirmation is essential for all suspected measles cases. Healthcare providers should collect all specimens in consultation with VPDC. Follow step-by-step instructions for measles specimen collection and testing at the Checklist for Providers.

• Individuals who are exposed to measles and do not have evidence of immunity should be offered post-exposure prophylaxis to protect them and modify the clinical course of disease.
• If eligible and no contraindications, patients should receive MMR or MMRV vaccine within 72 hours of initial measles exposure, or immunoglobulin (IG) within 6 days of exposure.
• Do not administer measles containing vaccine and IG simultaneously, as immunoglobulins can interfere with vaccine effectiveness.

• MMR and MMRV are both safe and highly effective vaccines to protect against measles.
  • In immunocompetent individuals, one dose of a measles-containing vaccine is 93% effective against measles. 2 doses are 97% effective.
  • For more information on vaccines, see the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Recommendations for MMR (Measles, Mumps, & Rubella) and MMRV (Measles, Mumps, Rubella & Varicella) Vaccines.
• Healthcare personnel should have documented evidence of immunity. This includes:
  • Documentation of two doses of measles vaccine given in 1968 or later, separated by at least 28 days, with the first dose on or after the first birthday
  • If no documentation of two doses of measles vaccine, a documented IgG positive test for measles
  • Laboratory confirmation of previous disease.
• All individuals ages 6 months and older should be vaccinated against measles prior to international travel or domestic travel in areas experiencing measles outbreaks.
• For immunity (IgG) testing, you can use a commercial lab or LA County’s Public Health Lab (PHL). If using PHL, fill out this form to accompany the specimen: LAC PHL Serum - Measles IgG-Immunity Testing Only
• Please report any Vaccine related adverse events to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS).

MMR and MMRV Vaccine Recommendations for Children and Adults

MMR Vaccine Recommendations for Adults
In general, adults without presumptive evidence of immunity should receive at least 1 dose of the MMR vaccine, and certain adults may need 2 doses depending on their risk factors.

• Adults who are going to be in a setting that poses a high risk for measles transmission should make sure they have had two doses separated by at least 28 days.
• The preferred injection site for adults is the posterior triceps aspect of the upper arm.

Pregnancy is a contraindication to vaccination with live virus vaccines, including MMR and MMRV. The American College of Obstetricians & Gynecologists (ACOG) recommends avoiding pregnancy for 4 weeks after receipt of MMR.