Los Angeles County health officials have alerted visitors to Universal Studios Hollywood after an infected person spent 11 hours at the theme park while contagious on Sunday, July 26. Thousands of park guests may have been exposed to measles during the visit, which lasted from 10am to 9pm.
Health officials have not released further details about the patient. However, representatives at the Los Angeles County Public Health Department warned anyone who visited the attraction on July 26 to monitor themselves for measles symptoms. Department officials are currently working to identify and contact park visitors who may have been infected.
Universal Studios Hollywood attracts about 9.6 million visitors every year, making it one of the oldest working film studios in the world and drawing an average of roughly 26,000 people daily. Measles is considered the most infectious disease in the world, capable of spreading to about nine in ten unvaccinated people who are exposed. The virus transmits through breathing in tiny droplets expelled in coughs and sneezes, which can remain suspended in the air for up to two hours after an infected person has passed.
Exposure risks and vaccine advice
Dr Muntu Davis, a Los Angeles County public health officer, warned of heightened risks during summer travel. "With summer travel underway, the risk of exposure to infectious diseases may increase," Davis said. "We urge everyone to confirm their immunity and get the MMR vaccine if needed, especially before traveling and attending crowded events."
Health officials stated that receiving the measles vaccine is the most effective way to prevent an infection. The Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR) shot slashes the risk of infection by 97 percent. The MMR vaccine is typically administered once between ages 12 and 15 months and again between ages four and six.
In a news release, the health department added: "[All] individuals should confirm their protection against measles. Those who have had measles in the past or received the recommended measles vaccine are likely protected but should still monitor for symptoms."
Symptoms and emergency guidance
Measles symptoms usually begin with cold-like signals, including a fever, cough, runny or blocked nose, and red, watery eyes. About three to five days later, a distinctive rash appears, typically starting on the face and spreading downward across the rest of the body. Infected individuals can spread the virus up to four days before and four days after the rash appears.
Complications from the virus can be severe and life-threatening, particularly for unvaccinated young children and pregnant women. Severe cases can lead to pneumonia, encephalitis, hospitalization, and death. Pregnant women, infants under 12 months, people with weakened immune systems, and unimmunized individuals face the highest risk and should notify healthcare providers immediately if symptoms develop.
Health officials urge anyone who develops symptoms to stay home and avoid school, work, and public gatherings. Individuals should call a healthcare provider immediately and avoid going directly to a clinic or hospital without calling first, preventing potential exposure to others.
California cases and national resurgence
California has recorded about 48 cases of measles so far this year. According to the California Department of Public Health, the state has already seen three localized measles outbreaks in 2026. Although all three outbreaks have ended, the potential exposure at a major tourist destination has placed health officials on high alert.
Nationwide, health authorities have registered 2,371 measles infections in 2026, representing a slight increase over the 2,289 cases recorded in all of 2025. This total marks the highest number of measles cases recorded in a single 12-month period since 1991. The surge has led health officials to warn that the United States could soon lose its measles elimination status.
The United States earned elimination status in 2000 after recording a full year without continuous viral transmission. Elimination status is lost if a single outbreak continues to spread for 12 months or more. An outbreak in Utah has now lasted more than 12 months, satisfying the primary criterion for losing the designation. A federal committee will review the annual report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention this month to determine whether elimination status has been lost.
Federal policy and vaccination trends
Health officials report that the resurgence is driven by falling vaccination rates. In Delaware, the MMR vaccination rate among kindergarten students dropped from 98.5 percent in 2016 to 94.1 percent today, falling below the 95 percent herd immunity threshold. Officials noted that skepticism surrounding Covid vaccines has spilled over to routine childhood immunizations.
Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr, described as a hero in the anti-vax movement, has framed measles vaccination as a "personal choice" and falsely claimed that it is "very difficult" for healthy children to die from measles.
Although overall hospitalizations are lower in 2026 at seven percent compared to 11 percent in 2025, the outbreak is affecting older children and adults more severely. In 2026, 49 percent of cases have occurred in five-to 19-year-olds, up from 44 percent last year. In both 2025 and 2026, about 93 percent of cases occurred in unvaccinated or undervaccinated individuals.
