Trending Now - Health Officials Warn of Severe Outbreak in California

WHO:

Dr. Sharon Balter, Director of the Acute Communicable Disease Control Program, Los Angeles County Department of Public Health

Dr. Erica Pan, California’s public health officer

Dr. Andy Lubell, chief medical officer of True North Pediatrics, Pennsylvania

WHAT:

Measles outbreak reported in California, particularly in unvaccinated communities

More than 1,200 confirmed measles cases reported nationwide in 2026, with nearly 90% tied to active outbreaks

Six confirmed measles cases reported in Sacramento County and neighboring Placer County

130 children in a Sacramento County educational enrichment program exposed to measles

Two cases confirmed in unvaccinated children in Sacramento County

Four cases confirmed in Placer County tied to the same outbreak

Measles was declared eliminated in the United States in 2000

WHERE:

California, specifically Sacramento County and Placer County

Kaiser Permanente Roseville Medical Center, where one infected child was treated

WHEN:

As of early March 2026, measles cases are surging

Child treated at Kaiser Permanente Roseville Medical Center on March 2nd, 2026

Child was at the hospital between 6:55 am and 7:14 am on March 2nd, 2026

WHY:

Vaccination rates have dipped in certain communities, leading to outbreaks

Urgent call for vaccination due to the highly contagious nature of measles

HOW:

Measles spreads through the air and on surfaces; individuals can catch it by being in the same room as someone infectious

Two doses of the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine are 97% effective at preventing measles, while one dose is 93% effective

Health officials are conducting contact tracing and urging public awareness and vaccination

(UPDATED March 10, 2026 19:20 UTC)

A significant measles outbreak has been reported in California, particularly affecting unvaccinated communities, with six confirmed cases in Sacramento County and four in neighboring Placer County. As of early March 2026, over 1,200 measles cases have been confirmed nationwide, with nearly 90% linked to active outbreaks, prompting health officials to urge vaccination due to the disease's highly contagious nature. Dr. Sharon Balter, Dr. Erica Pan, and Dr. Andy Lubell are among the health experts addressing the situation, emphasizing the importance of the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine, which is 97% effective after two doses.