5 Disneyland Employees and 5 Children Among Those Infected with Measles

Five Disneyland employees were among an outbreak of measles patients -- with three already healthy enough to return to work -- that originated at the Anaheim theme park, officials said today.

“As soon as the Orange County Health Care Agency notified us on Jan. 7, we immediately began to communicate to our (employees) to raise awareness,” said Dr. Pamela Hymel, chief medical officer of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts. “In an abundance of caution, we also offered vaccinations and immunity tests. To date, a few (employees) have tested positive and some have been medically cleared and returned to work. Cast members who may have come in contact with those who were positive are being tested for the virus. While awaiting results, they have been put on paid leave until medically cleared.”

The three healthy enough to return to work were among those who contracted the virus in mid-December, officials said.

As of today, the county is reporting 18 confirmed cases of measles, according to Nicole Stanfield of the OC Health Care Agency. Of those, five are children, including four who were not immunized.

The rest were adults, but it is not clear how many did not receive immunizations prior to their exposure, Stanfield said.

Seven of the afflicted came in contact with the disease while out in the community, Stanfield said. In 11 of the cases, the patients spent time at Disneyland since Dec. 17, she added.

Orange County officials again reiterated the importance of receiving vaccinations to stop the spread of the disease. Those who get sick despite getting shots will only experience “mild illness” and are not likely to be contagious, Stanfield said.

Anyone who thinks they may have measles was urged to call their medical provider before going to the doctor’s office, because it could spread the illness, she said.

Meanwhile, two dozen unvaccinated students have been sent home from Huntington Beach High School for three weeks.

A student with measles was on campus from Jan. 6 to Jan. 8, possibly spreading the contagious disease, according to a letter to parents from Matt Zahn, medical director for epidemiology at the Orange County Health Care Agency, the Orange County Register reported

KPCC quoted Huntington Beach High School principal Rocky Murray as saying Friday that 24 students were sent home, including the one who had measles.

“Unimmunized students are excluded from school for 21 days past the date of exposure, during which they need to monitor themselves for signs of measles, Deanne Thompson, spokeswoman for the Orange County Health Care Agency, said in remarks reported by the Register. “This is to avoid spreading the disease.

Students are expected to return to school Jan. 29.

State law requires schoolchildren to get the MMR shots to protect against measles, mumps and rubella. But parents who believe there are links between the vaccines and medical conditions such as autism can get an exemption by signing a personal belief waiver.

The link between autism and vaccinations has been widely rejected by a consensus of scientists.

• City News Service
• Photo Credit: CDC