Measles infections that were linked to an outbreak at Disney theme parks in Southern California just before Christmas have now spread to people who didn't visit the parks, CBS News reported.
The most recent figures identified 52 measles cases, most of which - at least 41 - are in California. Most of the patients, ranging in ages from 18 months to 21 years old, were not vaccinated against the virus.
Mexico, Colorado and Washington have also reported cases among those who visited Disneyland or Disney California Adventure Park in December and got sick when they got home.
In Utah, a third person was diagnosed, a child who had been in contact with two infected siblings at the park.
The six most recent patients who have gotten sick in Orange County, Calif., were not at the Disney parks and didn't come in contact with anyone they knew was there for sure.
"That worrisome development indicates exposure to measles is more widespread throughout the county," the California Department of Public Health said in a statement. "The measles outbreak will continue to spread."
Measles is highly contagious, and virus particles can stay alive on surfaces for several hours. It can cause blindness and encephalitis, which is an infection in the brain. Most children receive a vaccination at one year of age and again at ages four or six, NBC News reported. But in recent years, a large number of Americans have decided to not have their children vaccinated.
"You get the idea that we're now way below the level of immunization that we should have," said an infectious disease expert. Some people who have been vaccinated 40 years ago may have lost their immunity as they got older. "So we have about one in 10 people who are susceptible to measles."
Therefore, when unvaccinated Disney visitors went home to their communities, they had a stronger chance of passing measles on to other susceptible residents.
