Tag: CDC

STUDIO CITY—A person infected with measles reportedly visited Universal Studios Hollywood on July 26. The individual was in the park for roughly 11 hours, arriving at 10 a.m. and leaving at 9 p.m. The park was not shut down. The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health issued a warning asking anyone who was at the park during that window to check their vaccination status and watch for symptoms through August 16.

This marks the ninth reported measles case in LA County in 2026. The CDC recorded more than 2,371 measles cases so far this year in the United States, the highest number since 1991. The majority of these cases have been diagnosed in children and teenagers under the age of 19, and about 93 percent of people who contracted the virus were unvaccinated or had unknown vaccination status. California alone reported 54 measles cases since the beginning of 2026.

In March 2026, an infected traveler visited Universal Studios and several other locations across the county. In 2019, an infected teen from New Zealand visited Disneyland, then Universal Studios, the TCL Chinese Theatre, Madame Tussauds, and Santa Monica. Theme parks are considered higher-risk environments for measles exposure because of the large number of people who pass through them each day.

Anyone at Universal Studios Hollywood on July 26 and develops symptoms such as fever, cough, runny nose, red eyes, or a rash is urged to call a healthcare provider before visiting any medical facility in person, to avoid exposing others. Residents can also contact the LA County Public Health InfoLine at 833-540-0473, available seven days a week from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

By Milan Manesh

HOLLYWOOD HILLS—On October 31, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (LACDPH) confirmed 11 new cases of the mosquito-borne Dengue fever in SOCAL including seven in Baldwin Park, two in El Monte, one case in Panorama City, and one in Hollywood Hills.

Photo Credit By Lucas Sankey

According to The Centers For Disease Control (CDC), most cases of Dengue are believed to be brought from those traveling in mosquito-infested areas. Dengue is not transferred from person to person. Two of the residents infected with the virus have not traveled to areas prone to Dengue.

The following information about how one may be infected with the Dengue virus was taken directly from the LACDPH website:

“Dengue is a disease caused by a virus that spreads to people mainly through mosquito bites. Dengue is common in tropical and subtropical regions such as the Caribbean (including Puerto Rico), Central and South America, Southeast Asia, and the Pacific islands.

See CDC Areas with Risk of Dengue. Because the types of mosquitoes that spread dengue are common throughout many areas of the United States, local spread of dengue is possible. In the continental U.S., cases of locally spread dengue have been rare, with a few reported in Florida, Hawaii, Texas, and more recently, Arizona and California.”

Dengue fever is typically a short-lived virus that only stays in the body anywhere from two to seven days. According to the LACDPH website, one in 20 individuals may develop severe or life-threatening symptoms.

There is no medication known to treat dengue other than some recommended over-the-counter (OTC) medication for fever and pain.

LACDPH notes that the vaccine is not approved for use in U.S. travelers visiting, but not residing in dengue-ridden areas.

Precautions may be taken, as this infection through prevention by cleaning areas that may be collecting moisture, and standing water where mosquitos may breed, keeping pool well maintained, and stocking stock ponds with the right type of fish to eat mosquitos and their larvae.

There is an entire section attributed to the best types of mosquito sprays to use on the LACDPH website.

According to the CDC website, Dengue viruses are spread through the bites of infected Aedes species of mosquitoes. This is not the same mosquito that carries malaria.

The Aedes mosquito is the same type of mosquito that spreads other viruses such as Zika and Chikungunya.

As with other mosquitoes, the Aedes typically lay their eggs in buckets, bowls, flowerpots, tires, or any other container with stagnant water.

The people loving mosquitoes become infected by individuals that have the virus, and then the mosquitoes carry the virus to other people.

By Sharon