Sacramento County reports 6 new measles cases, urges vaccinations for children
Sacramento County health officials on Wednesday reported six additional cases of measles, and urged families with unvaccinated children to reconsider getting immunizations and to stay home if anyone shows symptoms.
Since the start of the year, Sacramento County has confirmed 11 cases of measles, a disease that was only detected twice locally in the previous six years. Placer County has reported eight cases in 2026.
“This tells us that measles is continuing to circulate locally, primarily among children who are not vaccinated,” said Dr. Olivia Kasirye, the county’s public health officer.
Early symptoms can include fever and cough, which can be confused with common respiratory illnesses such as the flu. Patients often then develop a rash that typically begins on the head and around the ears before spreading.
The measles vaccine is highly effective, experts said. One dose is 93% effective, and the full two-dose course is 97% effective, said Dr. John Belko, a pediatric infectious disease doctor at Kaiser Permanente.
Public health officials on March 4 announced two confirmed measles cases in unvaccinated children in Sacramento County, among 26 confirmed cases in California at the time.
As of Wednesday, the state has confirmed 39 cases of measles, 85% of which were contracted in people under the age of 20. According to the California Department of Public Health, 37 of the infectous cases, 95%, were among those unvaccinated. So far this year, two people have died from complications of the viral disease, CDPH reports.
“Measles is highly contagious and can easily be brought back into our community through travel,” Kasirye said last month. “The most important step for people to take right now is to make sure you and your family are up to date on the measles vaccination.”
Health officials said measles can be prevented with the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine or the measles, mumps, rubella and varicella (MMRV) vaccine. The vaccines are given in two doses, typically at ages 1 and 4 to 6, and are highly effective.
In Placer County last month, officials reported three measles cases involving teenagers in a single family, prompting a localized outbreak declaration.
