Three Placer County teenagers from the same extended family have tested positive for measles, and health officials say the cluster likely traces back to a relative who recently returned from South Carolina.
Placer County public health officials announced the cases Monday. Health investigators say a fourth family member is suspected to be infected, and all of the known patients are recovering at home with no public exposure risk, according to CBS Sacramento. County officials also told the outlet they have not yet been able to verify the vaccination status of the patients.
What Officials Are Saying
In a statement to CBS Sacramento, Placer County Health Officer Dr. Rob Oldham said, “We believe the risk to the general public remains low, as this outbreak appears to be contained within an extended family.”
County communicable-disease investigators are now tracking down close contacts and advising anyone who may have been exposed to call their health care provider before showing up in person, so that potential cases do not inadvertently expose others in clinics or waiting rooms.
Linked To The South Carolina Outbreak
Public health investigators say the family’s infections appear tied to exposure from an extended relative who had recently been in Upstate South Carolina, where a large outbreak has centered in Spartanburg County. The South Carolina Department of Public Health reported 979 cases in that outbreak on Feb. 24, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports 1,136 confirmed measles cases in the U.S. in 2026.
What Residents Should Do
Health officials are again stressing that the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine is the best protection. Anyone who is unvaccinated or unsure of their immunity is urged to check with a clinician and to call ahead before seeking care, to avoid exposing others, per Placer County guidance.
Placer County maintains a communicable-disease resources page and a provider bulletin with vaccine-clinic details and reporting guidance for clinicians. For local contacts and updates, see the county health site.
