Seventh measles case in L.A. County this year identified as international traveler at LAX

Another measles case has been confirmed in Los Angeles County, in a traveler who arrived at the international terminal at Los Angeles International Airport in early July, health authorities said.

The case represents the seventh reported case by the L.A. County Department of Public Health this year. The sixth case was reported on June 26, the department said.

In California, the total number of confirmed measles cases reached 51, according to the California Department of Public Health. The spike in cases comes as vaccination rates have tumbled nationwide in recent years - in some areas falling well below the herd immunity threshold experts say is necessary to keep it from spreading.

The traveler arrived at Tom Bradley International Terminal, Gate 155 on British Airways flight 281 on July 3. Other individuals at that gate between 3 p.m. and 4 p.m. on that day "may have been exposed to measles," the agency said. Others may have been exposed if they rode on the Hertz Car Rental Shuttle at LAX, from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. on July 3.

The county's Department of Public Health has also reached out to other locations where the traveler may have exposed others, including a healthcare facility. In coordination with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control, local health authorities are reaching out to passengers who sat on the flight near the patient.

People that were at these locations during those periods of time are being asked to monitor for symptoms of measles until July 24. Measles symptoms appear seven to 21 days after exposure to the disease.

Typical symptoms include fever, a cough, runny nose, red and watery eyes and rashes, which usually appear three to five days after "other signs of illness" and "typically starts at the face and then spreads down to the rest of the body," the agency said.

"As measles cases increase, it is important that residents take steps to make sure they are fully protected. The MMR vaccine is the safest and most reliable way to prevent measles and protect yourself, your family, and your community," said Muntu Davis, Los Angeles County's health officer. "Measles spreads easily and can lead to serious complications, including pneumonia, brain swelling, and even death. With summer travel underway, the risk of exposure to infectious diseases may increase."

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

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This story was originally published July 8, 2026 at 5:04 PM.