Three more cases of measles contracted at Disneyland or Disney’s California Adventure Park were confirmed Thursday by the Orange County Health Care Agency.
On Wednesday, the state Department of Public Health announced that nine people who visited the Anaheim theme parks in mid-December contracted measles. The three new cases were confirmed over the past week.
State health officials said they believe a person with infectious measles was likely at one of the theme parks and spread the disease. All of the patients, along with three other people suspected of having measles, said they were at one or both of the Disney parks between Dec. 15 and Dec. 20, according to health officials.
“This is really a good reminder for everyone to get vaccinated,” said Deanne Thompson of the Orange County Health Care Agency.
The infected went to St. Joseph Hospital, CHOC Children’s Hospital in Orange and Quest Diagnostics Laboratory, all in Orange, for treatment, raising the likelihood that many other patients and staff at those facilities were infected, Thompson said.
Seven of the cases confirmed Wednesday involve California residents, from Orange, Pasadena, Riverside, San Diego and Alameda, according to the CDPH. Two other cases involve Utah residents. The three suspected cases confirmed Wednesday were all among California residents.
The confirmed California cases range in age from 8 months to 21 years old. Six of them were unvaccinated — two being too young, state officials said.
In the three most recent cases, the afflicted sought treatment at St. Joseph’s emergency room and were there from 6 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. Dec. 30; CHOC Children’s Hospital’s fourth floor on New Year’s Day from 3:40 p.m. through Jan. 2 at 12:45 p.m., CHOC’s emergency room from 10:35 a.m. to 12:50 p.m. on Sunday and 8:25 a.m. to 12:40 p.m. Monday; and Quest Diagnostics Laboratory, 1010 W. La Veta Ave., Suite 140, on Saturday from noon to 1:15 p.m.
Measles generally begins with fever, cough, runny nose and red eyes. Within a few days, a red rash appears, usually on the face then spreading down to the rest of the body. Measles is an infectious, airborne disease.
— City News Service