San Diego County health officials have issued a warning about “dark times” ahead as more measles cases are confirmed in Southern California.
While there has yet to be a case of measles in the county in 2026, neighboring LA and Orange County have confirmed cases and officials there are urging parents to vaccinate their children.
Measles, the world’s most contagious disease, was declared eradicated in America in 2000, but health officials say with vaccine hesitancy, it is slowly making a comeback, leaving children vulnerable.
Dr. Ahmad Bailony said he has seen a change in how parents feel about vaccinating their kids.
“You know, first-hand, I’ve seen more families than ever before coming to me, and saying, ‘Dr. Bailony, we don’t feel safe about vaccines with everything that’s going on,’” Bailoney he told ABC 7.
“Um, so, yeah, I actually think, even in California, where we are, you know, headed toward some dark times unfortunately.”
The doctor said while the outlook is grim, he suggests there’s plenty of time to turn things around and vaccinate your kids, with what he called a “very safe” measles vaccine that’s been around for 40 years.
He added, “I think it’s just worth mentioning that the reason to give your kid the vaccine is out of love and care, and that a lot of times the reasons I’m seeing that people aren’t vaccinating is more parenting based on fear.”
San Diego County health data shows that less than 94% of kindergarteners received the MMR vaccine before the 2023 school year, making the herd immunity lower than in most counties in Southern California
Orange County health officials recently confirmed a second case of measles involving a person who visited Disneyland, The Post reported.
The individual visited the Disneyland Park park on January 22 between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. and Disney California Adventure Park from 3 p.m. to closing, according to the Orange County Health Care Agency.
It followed another recent measles case involving an international traveler who arrived in Los Angeles and visited both Disneyland, Disney’s California Adventure Park and at a restaurant at a Disney hotel in Anaheim.
Measles can be spread through tiny airborne droplets that can linger in the air for hours and survive on surfaces, per the CDC.
Symptoms can range from fever, cough, runny nose, red eyes and a rash that typically begins on the face before spreading to the rest of the body.