Measles confirmed in another Bay Area county, the first case there since 2012
Measles cases rising nationwide
Measles cases continue to rise nationwide, as cases are spreading. Officials confirm the United States has surpasses 1,000 cases this year, making it the second worst year since the disease was declared eliminated in 2000.
NAPA, Calif. - Another case of measles has been reported in the Bay Area amid outbreaks around the country of the highly contagious viral illness.
Napa County health officials said it’s the first time since 2012 the county has had a confirmed case.
What we know:
The patient was identified as a child who was not vaccinated against measles. Health officials said the child fell ill after a trip to South Carolina, which is dealing with a massive outbreak.
By the numbers:
As of Wednesday, South Carolina reported 646 cases.
Here in California, the state department of health's website said there have been two cases so far in 2026. With the latest update to the data made on Monday, it's unclear if that includes Napa County's case.
In 2025, there were 25 cases, with three Bay Area counties among those reporting measles, including a case in the East Bay last month.
Contra Costa County health officials alerted the public of possible exposures in the days leading up to Christmas at locations including stores at the Broadway Plaza shopping center.
‘No public health threat’ in Napa County
In Napa County, officials said, "At this time, there is no public health threat to the general population."
The county said it is working with the California Department of Public Health to follow up with people who may have been exposed and to make sure they were up-to-date on their measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccines.
Detected in wastewater
Dig deeper:
In Santa Clara County, public health officials there announced Wednesday the disease was detected in wastewater samples.
The samples were collected Jan. 10 from the Palo Alto sewershed, health officials detailed, noting that shed includes waste from communities in northern Santa Clara County and a small portion of San Mateo County.
Santa Clara County Public Health stressed that the source was not known and that samples tested in the five days following did not show further evidence in the water.
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"Investigation is ongoing, and it is unknown at this time if this detection of measles in wastewater is connected to recent cases of measles in residents of other Bay Area counties," the agency said.
Highly contagious
The respiratory illness is an airborne virus and spreads easily.
The virus can remain up to two hours in an airspace or on a surface after an infected person leaves an area, according to health experts.
"Simply being in the same room with someone who has measles can result in infection for people who are not immune," Napa County Public Health Officer Dr Christine Wu said in a news release.
The best line of defense is to get vaccinated, officials urged.
"Napa County Public Health is recommending all unvaccinated individuals ages one year and older receive measles vaccination to protect themselves and those around them," the agency said.
Record high
Last year, cases in the U.S. reached a record high in recent decades.
"The United States surpassed a milestone in reported measles cases, with 2025 now having the most cases since the disease was declared eliminated in the U.S. in 2000 and the most cases in more than three decades," the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health reported in July.
It referred to the U.S. Measles Tracker, which, looking at the tracker's latest figures, showed 2,540 cases. That covered a period of about a year starting Jan. 1, 2025, to Jan. 16, 2026.
Highly preventable
Measles is extremely preventable.
"It’s estimated that when 95% of people in a community are vaccinated, both those individuals and others in their community are protected against measles," Harvard Health Publishing wrote in an article released earlier this month.
The recent spike in cases can be attributed to the drop in children getting vaccinated.
"Nationally, measles vaccination rates among school-age kids fell from 95% in 2019 to 92% in 2023," the publication said.
Symptoms
Symptoms of measles include a blotchy rash that typically begins on the face and spreads downward across the body, as well as fever, cough, runny nose and red eyes.
Symptoms can appear seven to 21 days after being exposed.
A person is contagious from four days before the rash appears through four days after, with the onset of the rash considered day 0.
Those who believe they've contracted measles, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention urged they contact their healthcare provider immediately.
"Measles isn't just a little rash. Measles can be dangerous, especially for babies and young children," the CDC said.
If unsure of vaccination status, experts advise checking with your health provider.
"The MMR vaccine is safe and highly effective, providing lifelong immunity after two doses," Napa County health officials stressed.
Thousands possibly exposed to measles at East Bay mall
- If you went shopping at Macy's or Anthropologie in Walnut Creek in the lead up to Christmas, you may have been exposed to measles, Contra Costa County health officials announced Monday.