Measles outbreak tied to Disneyland, Canadian travellers should be on alert

Canadians who have recently visited California’s Disneyland should be aware of a measles outbreak at the popular theme park, as pockets of cases are continuing to pop up among largely-unvaccinated population segments across North America.

The Los Angeles Times reports that Disneyland was the site of a measles outbreak that spread to 26 people from four different states.

The California Department of Public Health has confirmed as many as nine cases of the measles, noting that each person had visited Disneyland in late December. Of those seven confirmed cases, six were found in subjects who had never been vaccinated for measles (two were children who were too young for the shot).

"Travellers to areas where measles is endemic can bring measles back to the U.S., resulting in limited domestic transmission of measles,” reads a statement from the health department.

“Disney and other theme parks in California are international attractions and visitors come from many parts of the world, including those where measles is endemic.”

Measles is a highly contagious disease caused by a virus that results in rashes, fevers, and watery eyes. Children are especially at risk, as is anyone who hasn’t been vaccinated. It has largely been controlled in North America since vaccinations were made widely available in the 1960s.

There were several instances of confirmed cases of measles reported in areas across Canada last year – most notably a massive outbreak in a largely-unvaccinated British Columbia community.

The Canadian government has also warned travellers about a number of current outbreaks ongoing around the globe. Notices have been issued for Brazil, Philippines and Vietnam, as well as China and the United States.

The warning notes that the U.S. “is currently experiencing outbreaks due to imported cases.”

While Canadians often receive health warnings when travelling to foreign countries, warnings pertaining to the U.S. are less common.

That’s why the concern is so great in regards to Disneyland. Considering the California theme park’s position as a popular tourism destination for families from around the world, we are actually lucky the outbreak hasn’t yet spread further than California and neighbouring states.

"Disneyland — this is the ideal scenario. This is sort of the perfect storm," Dr. James Cherry, a UCLA expert on pediatric infectious diseases, told the Times. “People go to Disneyland, and they went from all different counties and all different states.”

In 2013, Anaheim’s Disneyland received more than 16 million visitors – making it the third-most visited theme park in the world (behind Florida’s Magic Kingdom and Tokyo Disneyland).

As for the number of Canadians that visit Disneyland on an annual basis, that is harder to pin down. But it is a lot.

Canadians made 22.7 million visits to America in 2012, and a hotel-industry study from this year places Anaheim in the top 20 international destinations for Canadian travellers.

Allison Wallace, communications director for Canada’s Flight Centre travel agency, says they are often asked about health concerns when travelling to remote countries.

In those cases, it is important to speak with your doctor and ensure you have the proper vaccinations. In this case, the advice is similar.

“Common sense would be the best course of action,” Wallace told Yahoo Canada News in an email. “If you’re aware of a travel advisory or outbreak, avoid travelling to that place and ensure (where possible) that you, your children or people with immune deficiencies (i.e. Seniors) are vaccinated. If you’re not sure if you need to be vaccinated, consult your doctor.”