SAN FRANCISCO, CA — An unvaccinated San Francisco infant was recently confirmed to have measles — the first reported case in the city since 2019, public health officials said.
Risk to the general public is low at this time, according to the San Francisco Department of Public Health.
Public health officials say the infant was exposed to measles while outside the United States.
The infant became infectious upon returning to the United States and is currently recovering at home, public health officials said.
"The infant’s household contacts all report being vaccinated," public health officials said. "SFDPH is reaching out to close contacts outside of the home to prevent further spread of measles."
The case was confirmed on Monday. It comes as measles cases in California have continued to spike.
So far, as of Monday, there have been 39 confirmed cases in California since the start of the year. Most cases were reported in January and February, with 14 and 13 cases, respectively. There were nine in March and at least three in April so far, according to the California Department of Public Health.
In the Bay Area, cases have been reported in Napa, San Mateo and Santa Clara counties in 2026. This case marks the first one for San Francisco so far this year.
California this year has already seen its highest number of measles cases in seven years, according to a Los Angeles Times report.
That spike is the result of dropping vaccination rates nationwide. In some areas across the country, communities have fallen below the herd immunity threshold that is necessary to keep it from spreading.
Measles is a highly contagious virus that can cause serious illness and even death. A person with the disease can easily spread the virus through the air by talking, breathing, coughing or sneezing, according to public health officials. The virus can then stay indoors in the air for up to four hours.
Symptoms can include a fever, cough, runny nose, and conjunctivitis, followed 2–4 days later by a rash, according to public health officials.
"It is incredibly important to get the MMR vaccine, as measles is one of the most infectious diseases in the world," San Francisco Health Officer Dr. Susan Philip said. "If you and your family are traveling internationally, make sure everyone is up to date with the MMR vaccine and is aware of the symptoms of measles."
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