A timeline of the measles cases reported in San Diego County in January 2015 after state health officials confirmed an outbreak linked to the theme parks of Disneyland and California Adventure in Anaheim, California.
Anyone who believes they have the measles should call health officials at (866) 358-2966 before physically going to a hospital or doctor's office.
Jan. 7: The California Department of Public Health confirmed seven cases of measles in the state, and two others in Utah involving people who said they had visited Disneyland and/or Disney California Adventure Park in Orange County between Dec. 15 and Dec. 20, 2014. Patients range in age from 8 months to 21 years and live in Alameda, Orange, Riverside and San Diego counties and in Pasadena.
Six of the seven California cases were not vaccinated for measles, including two who were too young to be vaccinated, officials said. One had been vaccinated with two doses of the MMR vaccine.
Both Utah cases were not vaccinated, a Utah Department of Health spokeswoman said.
Jan. 7: San Diego County health officials report the two cases of measles linked to the Disneyland outbreak involved unvaccinated individuals. The infected siblings visited the Parkway Plaza Mall in El Cajon on Dec. 29, possibly contaminating others, the San Diego County Health and Human Services Agency warns.
Jan. 8: A spokeswoman for Disneyland told NBC Los Angeles that it is safe to visit the park.
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Jan. 9: Officials in California said that of the 16 measles cases in the state they have only verified that two were fully vaccinated against the disease. Some were partially vaccinated and at least two were too young to be vaccinated. Eight cases were in Orange County, two in Riverside County, two in San Diego County, one in LA County, one in Alameda county, one in San Bernardino and one in Pasadena.
Jan. 10: Orange County health officials urge anyone with measles symptoms to call their doctor before seeking medical attention to avoid exposing others to the highly contagious illness.
Jan. 10: In Colorado, the El Paso County Public Health department said a patient was diagnosed with measles at a Colorado Springs hospital after visiting a California theme park.
Jan. 12: California Department of Public Health said 26 people in four states have been linked to the Disneyland outbreak
Jan. 13: A third measles case was reported in San Diego County involving an individual that did not expose the public to the disease, officials said. The patient was hospitalized and doing well.
Jan. 14: Six siblings, ranging in age from 22 months to 18 years old, came into the urgent care at 5525 Grossmont Center Drive with rashes and measles-like symptoms. Staff immediately shut the center down and took names of the patients who may have been exposed. Dr. Wilma Wooten with SD County HHSA said two of the siblings had been to Disneyland with the parent on
Dec. 18.
Jan. 15: On Thursday, SD County health officials said a person "closely connected" to the family that sought care in La Mesa also had measles.
Jan. 15: County officials release a list of locations where the family of six may have exposed others to the measles. The list includes the City of San Diego Operations Building on First Avenue as well as fitness centers in Julian.
Jan. 16: Orange County confirmed it has 16 cases of measles. Six non-Disneyland cases "indicates exposure to measles is more widespread throughout the county," the Orange County Health Care Agency said.
Jan. 16: There were measles cases in the following California counties: San Diego (10), LA (8), Alameda (4), Ventura (3), Riverside (2) and San Bernardino (2). Six other cases related to the Southern California outbreak were confirmed in three U.S. states and Mexico.
Jan. 17: A total of 51 measles cases have now been reported in the wake of an outbreak linked to Disney theme parks in Anaheim this December, with all but nine cases directly connected to the park, health officials said.
Jan. 19: Three possible measles cases were reported in San Diego’s North County. If they test positive, the total number of measles cases in the county will be 13. The locations frequented by the patients since Dec. 30 include an Oceanside supermarket, a Carlsbad movie theater and a popular restaurant in San Marcos. These three people were not vaccinated when they traveled to Disneyland on Dec. 18, county officials said.
Jan. 19: Sharp Rees-Steely closed an urgent care on Via Tazon in Rancho Bernardo due to a potential measles case. There was no information whether this case was connected to the Disneyland theme parks. Several individuals who were in the center but were not vaccinated were interviewed by health officials.
Jan. 20: Two dozen students were asked to stay home from Huntington Beach High School in Orange County until Jan. 29 after a student came to campus with the highly contagious disease. Students who have been exposed and do not have the necessary vaccination to guard against the disease were sent home for three weeks, according to county health officials.
Jan. 21: San Diego County health officials confirmed the three North County patients did indeed test positive for measles, making the local count 13. At the same time, California Public Health doctors revealed there have been 59 confirmed patients across the state, though that count did not include the new San Diego patients.
