Los Angeles County public health officials have confirmed a measles case in an international traveler who was infectious while arriving at Los Angeles International Airport on July 3, and anyone who was at specific locations at LAX that afternoon should monitor for symptoms through July 24.
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health confirmed the case on July 8, 2026. It is the seventh measles case confirmed in Los Angeles County in 2026.
The confirmed exposure locations and times are as follows:
- LAX Tom Bradley International Terminal, Terminal B, Gate 155 — July 3, 2026, from 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
- Hertz Car Rental Shuttle departing from LAX — July 3, 2026, from 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Anyone who was at Gate 155 or on the Hertz shuttle during those windows could develop measles symptoms between 7 and 21 days after exposure. The last day to monitor for symptoms is July 24, 2026, according to LA County Public Health.
Passengers who were seated near the infected traveler on British Airways Flight 281 are being notified by their respective local health departments in coordination with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. If you were not seated near the traveler on the flight itself but were at Gate 155 or on the Hertz shuttle during the exposure windows, you should take action based on your vaccination status.
Why This Matters
Measles spreads through the air — through coughing, sneezing, or simply talking. It does not require close contact. People who are not protected against measles can contract the virus up to two hours after someone with measles has left the same room or airspace, meaning exposure at Gate 155 may have occurred even in the absence of direct contact with the infected individual.
July 3 was a major international travel day — the day before the Fourth of July holiday. Tom Bradley International Terminal at LAX is one of the busiest international arrival facilities in the United States, handling flights from dozens of countries. British Airways Flight 281 arrived from London Heathrow, a hub that connects to destinations throughout Europe, Africa, the Middle East, and Asia.
Many people who passed through Gate 155 on July 3 did not stay in Los Angeles — they were connecting to other destinations across the country. If you were at that gate and then flew onward, you may now be thousands of miles from Los Angeles with symptoms developing between now and July 24.
What We Know So Far
The infected traveler arrived on British Airways Flight 281 at Tom Bradley International Terminal B, Gate 155, and was infectious while traveling in Los Angeles County. The traveler was also infectious while on the Hertz Car Rental Shuttle.
LA County Public Health has identified an additional possible exposure at a county healthcare facility, where patients and staff are being notified directly.
Public health officials are still working to identify any additional exposure sites in Los Angeles County. Updates will be posted to the LA County Public Health measles page.
This is the seventh case of measles confirmed in Los Angeles County in 2026. Previous LA County cases this year included an infected person who visited Hollywood Burbank Airport, another who was at LAX, a person who arrived at LAX and later spent time at Disneyland while infectious, and another who visited at least three restaurants while potentially contagious.
Orange, Riverside, and San Bernardino counties have also reported measles cases so far in 2026, extending the regional concern beyond Los Angeles County proper.
Nationally, as of July 9, 2026, the CDC has confirmed 2,231 measles cases across 42 states — just 58 cases below the full-year 2025 total. The United States is on track to surpass its worst measles year since 1991 before the summer ends.
Where the Risk Continues
The LAX exposure is particularly significant for international travelers because the Tom Bradley International Terminal serves as a gateway for arrivals from countries experiencing active measles outbreaks.
LA County Public Health specifically urged anyone visiting Mexico to exercise caution due to an ongoing measles outbreak there with more than 18,440 cases so far this year. The Los Angeles area has extensive travel and community ties with Mexico, and residents who travel there and return to LAX can introduce the virus into local communities if they are unvaccinated.
The Hertz Car Rental Shuttle is notable because it serves all LAX terminals, picking up and dropping off passengers across a wide area. Anyone on that shuttle between 3:30 and 4:30 p.m. on July 3 — regardless of which terminal they arrived in — may have shared the same enclosed airspace as the infected traveler.
What Doctors and Experts Say
The LA County Department of Public Health urged everyone in LA County to ensure they are fully protected against measles before traveling and to take recommended precautions. The department noted that the MMR vaccine is 97 percent effective after two doses and 93 percent effective after one dose, according to LA County Public Health data.
Infants older than 6 months who are traveling internationally or to domestic areas with ongoing measles outbreaks can receive an early MMR dose, according to the LA County Public Health guidance. That early dose does not count as the first of the two-dose series required for full protection, but it provides substantial additional protection during travel.
What the Evidence Shows and What It Does Not
MedicalDaily Consumer Alert Check
- Case number: Seventh confirmed measles case in LA County in 2026
- Source: LA County Department of Public Health, July 8, 2026
- Flight: British Airways Flight 281, arriving LAX July 3, 2026
- Exposure site 1: Tom Bradley International Terminal B, Gate 155 — July 3, 3:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.
- Exposure site 2: Hertz Car Rental Shuttle from LAX — July 3, 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
- Additional exposure: A healthcare facility; patients and staff are being directly notified
- Symptom monitoring deadline: July 24, 2026
- Protection status: People vaccinated with two MMR doses or born before 1957 are generally considered immune and do not need to take action
Who Faces the Greatest Risk?
- Anyone who was at LAX Gate 155 on July 3 between 3:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. who is unvaccinated or has uncertain vaccination status
- Anyone who was on the Hertz Car Rental Shuttle from LAX on July 3 between 3:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. who is unvaccinated
- Passengers seated near the infected individual on British Airways Flight 281 — those individuals are being actively notified by local health departments
- Infants under 12 months who were in those locations (they are too young for the MMR series)
- Pregnant people who are not immune to measles
- Immunocompromised individuals who cannot be vaccinated
- Unvaccinated residents of Southern California in communities where vaccination rates have fallen below the 95% herd immunity threshold
Symptoms and Warning Signs to Watch For
Measles symptoms typically appear 7 to 14 days after exposure, with a maximum incubation period of 21 days. The last day to watch for symptoms from the July 3 LAX exposure is July 24, 2026.
Early symptoms (days 1–4) include high fever (often exceeding 104°F), persistent cough, runny nose, and red, watery eyes. The rash — which typically begins at the hairline and spreads downward across the face, neck, trunk, and limbs — usually appears 3 to 5 days after the fever begins.
Complications of measles — more common in children under 5, adults over 20, and immunocompromised individuals — include ear infection, pneumonia, encephalitis (brain inflammation), and, rarely, death.
If you were at the exposure sites and are not immune:
- Contact your doctor by phone before going in person to any clinic or emergency room
- Tell your doctor that you may have been exposed to measles at LAX on July 3
- Contact the LA County Department of Public Health at 1-800-427-8700 or visit publichealth.lacounty.gov
What You Can Do Now
- If you were at LAX Gate 155 between 3:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. on July 3, or on the Hertz Car Rental Shuttle between 3:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m., check your vaccination records immediately .
- If you are fully vaccinated with two doses of MMR, you are considered protected and do not need to take any further action.
- If you have received only one dose of MMR, your risk is low — but discuss the second dose with your health-care provider.
- If you are unvaccinated, seek MMR vaccination immediately. Post-exposure MMR given within 72 hours of exposure can prevent disease or reduce its severity.
- If you develop fever, cough, runny nose, red eyes, or a rash through July 24, call your doctor before going in person and disclose your potential LAX exposure.
- If you were at these locations and then traveled to another state, notify the public health department in your current location.
- Monitor the LA County Public Health measles updates page for any newly identified exposure sites.
Cost and Access: What Patients Should Know
The MMR vaccine is covered at no cost under the Affordable Care Act's preventive services mandate for most insurance plans and Medicaid. For uninsured children, the Vaccines for Children program provides free MMR vaccines at participating providers. Adults without insurance who need the MMR vaccine can contact the LA County Department of Public Health for referrals to low-cost vaccination sites. The Los Angeles County Office of Immunization offers vaccination services through community health centers and mobile clinics across the county.
What Happens Next
LA County Public Health continues to investigate this case and is working to identify any additional exposure sites. Updated information is posted at publichealth.lacounty.gov. The symptom monitoring window from the July 3 LAX exposure closes July 24, 2026. If new exposure locations are identified, MedicalDaily will publish an immediate update.
Nationally, the CDC's measles case count page is updated each Thursday. The United States is on track to surpass its worst measles year in over three decades by the end of August 2026.
The Bottom Line
An infected international traveler arriving at LAX on July 3 potentially exposed anyone who was at Gate 155 or on the Hertz Car Rental Shuttle to measles. The monitoring window runs through July 24. If you were at those locations and you are not immune, check your vaccination status today and contact your doctor if symptoms develop — calling ahead before showing up in person. The MMR vaccine is highly effective, widely available, and free under most insurance plans. Do not wait for a rash before acting.
