Universal Studios Hollywood guests are being urged to check their vaccination status after a person infected with measles visited the theme park last month, potentially putting thousands at risk.
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health says the infected visitor was at Universal on July 26. Anyone who was inside the park from 10 AM to 9 PM that day is being advised to make sure they’re protected and watch closely for possible symptoms through August 16.
Measles can spread through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes, and the virus can remain in an area for up to two hours. Symptoms include fever, cough, runny nose, red eyes and a rash.
A Universal Studios Hollywood spokesperson said: “The safety and security of our guests and team members is our highest priority. We were recently made aware that a guest with a confirmed case of measles visited Los Angeles County, including our theme park, on July 26, 2026. We are working with the Department of Public Health and are following their guidance.”
The alert comes as measles cases surge across the United States. More than 2,300 infections have been reported nationwide this year, marking the highest annual total since 1991. As of late July, approximately 2,318 measles cases from 35 separate outbreaks have reached 43 states and Washington, D.C. The majority, 93%, occurred in unvaccinated people, and nearly 69% occurred in children ages 19 and younger. At least 151 hospitalisations have been reported.
Why is measles more feared in the US than in Nigeria?
The fear surrounding measles in the US is rooted in the fact that the disease was declared eliminated in the country in 2000, meaning there is no continuous transmission. When measles cases emerge in a country that had effectively eradicated it, it triggers an aggressive public health response because each outbreak threatens to re-establish the virus and risks overwhelming a healthcare system that is not prepared for widespread measles complications.
Measles is not a mild illness. In the US, about 1 in 5 unvaccinated people who get measles will be hospitalised, and the risk is even higher in children under five. One out of every 1,000 people with measles will develop brain swelling, which can lead to brain damage, while 1 to 3 out of 1,000 people will die, even with the best medical care.
In contrast, Nigeria is among the top 10 countries reporting the highest number of measles cases globally, with over 10,000 confirmed cases annually. The disease is considered endemic, and health authorities view it as a persistent childhood illness rather than a shocking outbreak. A paediatric consultant told Tribune Online that Nigeria has the highest number of unvaccinated children in Africa, and major gaps persist in immunisation coverage.
The fear in the US is also driven by the sharp rise in cases from 285 in 2024 to over 2,300 in 2026, a dramatic increase that suggests a loss of herd immunity in certain communities. Experts warn that the US risks losing its measles elimination status, which would be a significant public health setback. For a nation unaccustomed to measles deaths, the recent fatalities, including two children in 2025, have been deeply alarming. In countries where measles is common, the disease is often dismissed as an inevitable childhood illness, whereas in the US, it is seen as a preventable tragedy that should not occur.
