Measles-Infected Visitor Spent 11 Hours at Universal Studios Hollywood, LA County Warns of Exposure

Los Angeles County health officials confirmed Wednesday that a person infected with measles spent 11 hours inside Universal Studios Hollywood on Sunday, July 26, potentially exposing anyone who visited the park between 10 a.m. and 9 p.m. that day.

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health says it's investigating additional locations the infected visitor may have gone to while contagious. Anyone at the park during that window should watch for symptoms through Aug. 16, which covers the full 21-day incubation period.

"With summer travel underway, the risk of exposure to infectious diseases may increase," said Dr. Muntu Davis, the county's public health officer. "We urge everyone to confirm their immunity and get the MMR vaccine if needed, especially before traveling and attending crowded events."

This is the ninth confirmed measles case in LA County this year, according to Patch. The county last reported a case on July 21, per MyNewsLA. Earlier cases this year involved an infectious traveler who spent time at LAX and Disneyland, and another person who visited at least three restaurants while contagious.

Measles is airborne and highly contagious. The virus can linger in the air and on surfaces for hours after an infected person leaves, according to the county health department. Someone who walked through a queue line an hour after the infected visitor left could still be at risk.

An infected person can spread the virus up to four days before the telltale rash shows up and four days after. That's why exposure warnings cover a wide window and not just the visible-symptom period.

Symptoms typically start with fever, cough, runny nose and red, watery eyes, followed three to five days later by a rash that starts on the face and spreads down the body, per the CDC. Complications can include pneumonia, encephalitis, hospitalization and death, particularly in young unvaccinated children and pregnant women, according to the California Department of Public Health.

People who've had measles before or gotten the recommended two-dose MMR vaccine are "likely protected," the county says, but should still watch for symptoms. Two doses of MMR are about 97% effective, according to MyNewsLA's report citing county figures.

The U.S. has logged 2,371 confirmed measles cases in 2026 as of July 31, the CDC says, the highest annual total since 1991, the year before the disease was declared eliminated domestically in 2000. The CDC says 93% of confirmed cases nationwide are tied to identified outbreaks, and there have been 34 new outbreaks reported so far this year.

California's numbers have doubled compared to last year as of July, according to the Los Angeles Times. A study published this year in the journal Nature Health, cited by Patch, found that falling MMR vaccination rates have pushed large parts of the country into higher-risk territory, with two Southern California counties landing in the "very high risk" category.

County officials say most people getting infected are unvaccinated or have unknown vaccination status. This isn't primarily a story about vaccinated people getting breakthrough infections. It's a story about immunity gaps in specific communities creating conditions for a disease the U.S. eliminated 26 years ago to return.

Some parents raise legitimate concerns about vaccine mandates and personal medical choice, and that debate isn't going away. But the public health case here is narrow and specific: MMR vaccination is highly effective, the current outbreak pattern tracks closely with unvaccinated populations, and nobody is being forced to vaccinate to visit a theme park.

This is also the second major Southern California theme park scare in recent months. Orange County health officials earlier warned that an infected international traveler visited Disneyland and Goofy's Kitchen while contagious, exposing potentially thousands more people, according to the New York Post.

Anyone who was at Universal Studios Hollywood on July 26 and develops symptoms should stay home, skip work, school and gatherings, and call a healthcare provider before showing up at a clinic or ER, county officials say. Those at higher risk, including pregnant women, infants under 12 months and people with weakened immune systems, should contact their doctor now rather than wait for symptoms to appear.