Thousands of people may have been exposed to measles while visiting Universal Studios Hollywood, health officials say.
A person infected with the virus reportedly visited the attraction for 11 hours on Sunday, July 26, while still contagious.
No further details about the patient were revealed, but Los Angeles County Public Health Department officials warned anyone who visited the site on the same day to monitor for measles symptoms.
They are now working to identify and contact park visitors who may be infected.
Approximately 9.6 million people visit the theme park, which is also one of the oldest operating film studios in the world, every year, amounting to approximately 26,000 people per day.
Measles is considered the most contagious disease in the world and can spread to approx nine out of ten unvaccinated people who are exposed to it.
The virus is transmitted by inhaling small droplets released by coughing and sneezing, which can remain in the air for up to two hours after an infected person has died.
People who are infected develop a cough about four days later and then the characteristic rash. The infection is especially dangerous for unvaccinated young children
Thousands of visitors to Universal Studios may have been exposed to measles on July 26 after an infected person spent 11 hours in the park
Dr. Muntu Davis, a Los Angeles County public health official, revealed the case, saying, “As summer travel approaches, the risk of exposure to infectious diseases may increase.
‘We urge everyone to confirm their immunity and get the MMR vaccine if necessary, especially before traveling and attending busy events.’
The patient had visited the park between 10 a.m. and 9 p.m., health officials said.
So far this year, about 48 cases of measles have been recorded in California.
Health officials said the most effective way to prevent a measles infection is to get the measles vaccine.
This vaccine against measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) reduces the risk of infection by 97 percent.
The MMR vaccine is usually given once between the ages of 12 and 15 months and again between the ages of four and six years.
Pregnant women, infants under 12 months of age, people with weakened immune systems, and those who have not been immunized are at greatest risk of infection and should notify their healthcare providers immediately if they develop symptoms.
Health officials are urging anyone who develops symptoms to stay home and avoid school, work and gatherings. They should call a health care provider immediately and not go to a clinic or hospital before calling first, to avoid exposing others.
In a press 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 watch for symptoms.”
The map shows the number of measles cases reported in the US as of July 30, 2026.
Cold symptoms, such as fever, coughing, and a runny or stuffy nose, are usually the first sign of measles
A total of 2,371 infections have been recorded nationally, a slight increase on last year and the highest in a single twelve-month period since 1991.
Health officials warn that the U.S. could soon lose measles elimination status, which the country earned in 2000 after recording a full year without sustained spread of the virus.
The status is lost if a single outbreak continues to spread for 12 months or more.
A federal committee will review the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s annual report this month and determine whether elimination status has been lost. The outbreak in Utah has now lasted more than twelve months, the most important criterion for losing the title.
Secretary of Health Robert F. Kennedy Jr., 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.
The revival is caused by the declining vaccination rate. The MMR vaccination rate in Delaware preschools fell from 98.5 percent in 2016 to 94.1 percent today — below the 95 percent threshold for herd immunity.
Health officials say skepticism about the Covid vaccine has spilled over into routine immunizations for children.
California has already experienced three local measles outbreaks in 2026, according to the Department of Health.
Measles starts with fever and cough, followed by a rash days later and spreads up to four days before and after the rash appears
Although all three have ended, officials are on high alert for this new potential exposure to a major tourist destination.
The symptoms of measles can be serious. They usually start with fever, coughing, runny nose and red, watery eyes.
Three to five days later, a characteristic rash appears, usually starting on the face and spreading downward to the rest of the body.
Complications can be life-threatening, especially in young, unvaccinated children and pregnant women. Severe cases can lead to pneumonia, dangerous brain inflammation called encephalitis, hospitalization and sometimes death.
The US has already surpassed last year’s total number of measles cases, with 2,371 infections in 2026 compared to 2,289 in all of 2025.
Although overall hospitalizations are lower — seven percent versus 11 percent — the outbreak is now hitting older children and adults harder.
In 2026, 49 percent of cases will involve five to nineteen-year-olds, compared to 44 percent last year.
In both years, approximately 93 percent of cases involved unvaccinated or undervaccinated individuals.
