New infections linked to the theme parks emerged Wednesday in the outbreak that has spread to five U.S. states and Mexico, though the vast majority - 62 - occurred in California.
People who have not received the measles-mumps-rubella, or MMR, vaccine are susceptible to contracting the highly contagious illness and should avoid Disney "for the time being," state epidemiologist Gil Chavez said.
The same holds true for crowded places with a high concentration of international travelers, such as airports, Chavez said. People who are vaccinated don't need to take such precautions, he said.
Comment: That's just not true. Hopefully people are aware enough to know that there are plenty of cases where someone who has received an MMR shot has still gotten sick, not to mention all the awful ingredients that are in the vaccines:
- Buyer beware! 85% of those contracting measles in California are fully vaccinated
- Straight from the horse's mouth: Vaccines can't prevent measles outbreaks
- Over 90 hospitalized after measles vaccination in east Ukraine
- Scientists Fear MMR Vaccine Link to Autism
- Canada: '52 of the 98 Teens Who Caught Measles Were Fully Vaccinated'
- Worshiping at the Altar of Pus: How putrid matter is the alpha and omega of vaccination
- America: A Vaxxer-Nation?
Disneyland Resorts spokeswoman Suzi Brown said officials agreed with the advice that "it's absolutely safe to visit if you're vaccinated."
The people who have been infected range in age from 7 months to 70 years old. The vast majority had not been vaccinated, and a quarter had to be hospitalized.
Among those sickened were five Disney employees, three of whom have since returned to work. The company previously said park employees who may have been in contact with infected people were asked to show proof of vaccination or have a blood test to show immunity against measles. Those with pending results were put on paid leave. Vaccinations are also being offered to all employees.
Measles has hit California hard recently, where four to 60 measles cases a year are typical.
"We are off to a bad start in 2015," Chavez said.
Since the outbreak, two dozen unvaccinated students at an Orange County high school were sent home for three weeks after an infected student showed up.
Measles can spread by air through coughing or sneezing. Symptoms include fever followed by cough, runny nose and a blotchy rash. Though the virus has been eradicated in the U.S. since 2000, it can still enter the country through an infected traveler.
While health officials said they likely may never find "patient zero," or the trigger of the outbreak, they believe it was either a resident from a country where measles is widespread or a Californian who went abroad and brought home the virus.
People at highest risk are those who are unvaccinated, pregnant women, infants under 6 months old, and those with weakened immune systems.
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