COVID Variant Spreads In California After Disneyland Measles Outbreak

As outbreaks grow nationwide, public health officials warn that limited resources have made their work even more difficult.

Local health departments rely heavily on federal funding to prevent the spread of infectious diseases, but last year the Trump administration cut nearly $1 billion in public health funding.

“There’s probably thousands of people that this person interacted with at Disneyland,” said Dr. Eric Ball, a pediatrician in Orange County, told SFGATE. “Measles is so incredibly contagious that we certainly worry about spread,” he added.

The U.S is facing a significant measles outbreak, with 733 confirmed cases reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as of early February 2026, affecting 20 different locations, including Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, and Pennsylvania. At the same time, a new COVID variant, named Cicada, has been detected in at least 25 states, including California, Florida, Pennsylvania, and South Carolina, raising even more concerns.

As of March 6, the CDC has reported 12 new outbreaks, with 89% of confirmed cases outbreak-associated, and a total of four measles cases among international visitors to the U.S.

A decade later, the measles has returned to Disneyland, driving a measles outbreak in California and nationally. California battled measles across seven counties due to unvaccinated communities, increasing the measles outbreak.

On Febuary 9, Disneyland was linked to two confirmed cases of the measles, marking the first reported outbreak at the park in nearly a decade.

Health officials have confirmed another measles case in California a week after a child infected with the disease visited Disneyland on Jan. 28. Health officials confirmed another case of measles found in an international traveler who visited Disneyland on Jan 22.

In 2015, a measles outbreak was linked to a child who had visited Disneyland, where roughly 131 Californians were infected, along with residents of six other states.

These cases serve as a reminder of how quickly the virus can spread in crowded public spaces, especially with declining vaccination rates.

The Orange County Health Care Agency notified the public, urging community members who have been in shared spaces with the infected child to ensure they are immune.

Disneyland is such a large theme park that it presents unique challenges to exposure. Potential exposure locations to the disease include Goofy’s Kitchen at the Disneyland Hotel, Disneyland Park, and Disney California Adventure Park.

Lately, there have been increasingly high levels of people not vaccinating their kids or delaying vaccines, so people are more susceptible to catch the disease than there used to be, especially since measles spread through the air when an infected person breathes, talks, coughs or sneezes, along with the virus staying in the air and on surfaces for many hours.

“The United States is experiencing the highest numbers of measles cases, outbreaks, hospitalizations and deaths in more than 30 years, driven by populations with low vaccination rates,” said California Public Health Officer Dr. Erica Pan in a statement earlier this month.

Since the start of the year, measles cases have been reported in at least 26 states nationwide, including a major outbreak in South Carolina, where officials identified nearly 1,000 cases, mostly involving unvaccinated children.

In response to the measles outbreak in South Carolina, the Guilford County Division of Public Health is expanding measles vaccination clinics to protect residents and prevent further spread. In response to the measles outbreak in South Caroline, the Guilford County Division of Public Health is expanding measles vaccination clinics to protect residents and prevent the disease from spreading. As of Tuesday, March 10, state health data showed that cases in South Carolina had risen to 993.

Dr. Pamela Hymel, chief medical officer for Disney experiences, previously told SFGATE that park officials were notified.

“We are closely following all guidance and recommendations by local health officials to support the well-being of guests and cast members,” said Hymel in a statement with SFGATE.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the U.S. reported 2,267 measles cases in 2025, the highest number since 1991. Of those cases, 93% of individuals had either never received a vaccine or had an unknown vaccination status.

If the U.S. were to lose its measles elimination status, it would signal a breakdown in the nation’s public health infrastructure, mark a major setback for global disease control efforts, and a loss of public trust in science.

Losing elimination status would mean that there is a sustained community transmission of the disease within the U.S. and that outbreaks are simply not isolated incidents caused by travelers but rather an ongoing issue within our borders.

The OC Health Care Agency urged Disneyland visitors to check their vaccine records to ensure they have received both doses of the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine, also known as the MMR vaccine and discuss preventative care options with their healthcare provider. Those who are not immune should limit exposure to others for at least 21 days.

There are groups of people who cannot receive the measles vaccine due to age, underlying health conditions, or allergies. These individuals face significantly greater health risks if exposed to the virus.

While some might underestimate the severity of this disease, measles is a highly contagious and a serious illness.

Measles symptoms typically appear one to two weeks after contact with the virus with symptoms such as high fever, cough, runny nose, red eyes, and a rash that typically starts at the face and spreads to the rest of the body. Anyone who develops symptoms of should contact their health care provider before scheduling an office visit to help prevent spreading the disease.