Alameda Co. resident contracts measles after visiting Disney park

OAKLAND, Calif. -- An Alameda County resident contracted measles after visiting a theme park in Southern California last month, public health officials announced Wednesday.

The resident is one of nine cases in which people caught the illness and reported visiting either Disneyland or Disney California Adventure theme parks in Anaheim between Dec. 15 and Dec. 20, according to the state Department of Public Health.

Other cases were reported in Pasadena and Orange, Riverside and San Diego counties, according to state public health officials.

Two Utah residents were part of the nine confirmed measles cases, health officials said.

The patients ranged from 8 months old to 21 years old and six were unvaccinated, while one had received two doses of the measles vaccination, state health officials said.

Two of the cases involved people who were too young to be vaccinated, according to state health officials.

Alameda County Public Health Department spokeswoman Sherri Willis said there may a second suspected measles case in the county also related to the confirmed cases.

Measles can start out as a fever, cough, runny nose and red eyes and then after a few days lead to a red rash that first appears on the face and spreads to the rest of their body.

The illness can spread through the air, where the virus can linger for up to two hours after an infected person has coughed or sneezed, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Those infected are contagious for a nine-day period, state health officials said.

People are advised to take two doses of a vaccine from their doctor to prevent contracting measles, public health officials said.

Those who are not sure if they have received the vaccine are asked to check with their doctor.

Anyone who believes they may made been exposed to someone with measles is asked to contact their health care provider.