Shasta County has announced its first measles case of 2026.
The case – which was reported on Friday, Jan. 30 – was likely travel related within California, James Mu, the county’s public health officer, told NSPR.
The infected person is a minor who recently traveled to Southern California and the Bay Area, where outbreaks have been reported, Mu said.
The kid was placed in isolation and was recovering, he said. Mu could not comment on the patient’s vaccination status due to privacy reasons.
The case is the first confirmed measles case in Shasta County since 2019, according to state data.
Here’s what to know about measles, its symptoms and a feared resurgence of the disease in the U.S.
What is measles?
Measles is a highly contagious viral disease that was declared eliminated in the U.S. in 2000, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
But that designation is at risk due to declining vaccination rates among children and a global resurgence of measles due to pandemic-era challenges administering the vaccine, the CDC reported.
According to tracking hosted by Johns Hopkins University, 2025 was the worst year for measles cases in the U.S. since 2000.
There were more than 2,200 cases in 2025, a dramatic increase from 2024, which saw 284 cases, according to the university’s U.S. Measles Tracker.
How many measles cases have been reported in California in 2026?
There have been nine confirmed cases of measles in California this year, according to the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) website updated on Monday, Feb. 2.
The cases were reported in Los Angeles, Napa, San Mateo and Shasta counties.
What are measles symptoms?
Measles is spread primarily when an infected person coughs, sneezes, talks or breathes, according to the CDPH. It can last in the air for up to two hours.
Symptoms include:
- Cough
- High fever
- Runny nose
- Pink eye
- Rash
People who contract the disease are typically contagious from four days before their rash starts to four days afterward, according to the Shasta County Health and Human Services Agency.
The measles vaccine is recommended to prevent serious illness in young kids and pregnant people, according to the CDPH. The disease can cause pneumonia, brain swelling, hospitalization and even death.
Is the measles vaccine effective?
Yes, the measles vaccine is the best way to protect against the disease, Mu, Shasta County’s health officer, said.
People can check their vaccination records on California’s Vaccine Record Site.
Mu said Shasta County enjoys a good amount of vaccination coverage against measles in the school-aged population.
The most recent state data for the 2023-24 school year shows 95% of kindergarten students in Shasta County had completed two or more doses of the required measles, mumps and rubella vaccine (MMR).
That was just under the statewide rate of 96%.
Herd immunity against measles requires 95% of the population to be immunized against the disease, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).
“The remaining 5% will be protected by the fact that measles will not spread among those who are vaccinated,” the WHO website states.
The vast majority of measles cases – about 90% – happen in unvaccinated people, the CDPH reported.
Is there an outbreak of measles in Shasta County?
Mu declined to speculate on whether more cases could arise in Shasta County.
The county’s Health and Human Services Agency released a list of places in the Redding area where the infected minor may have been able to spread the virus while contagious:
- Capture the flag event, 555 Mill Valley Parkway, Redding, on Jan. 23 from noon to 4 p.m.
- Osaka Sushi, 1340 Churn Creek Rd., Redding, on Jan. 23 from 6:30 p.m. to 10 p.m.
- Gym basketball game at former CrossPointe Community Church, 2960 Hartnell Ave., Redding, on Jan. 24, from 1:45 p.m. to 5 p.m.
- Costco, 4805 Bechelli Lane, Redding, on Jan. 24 from 6:30 p.m. from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m.
- Churn Creek HealthCare clinic, 3184 Churn Creek Rd., Redding, on Jan. 28 from 1:45 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Health officials said these places have been deemed safe to visit as of Monday, Feb. 2.
