Measles case reported in San Luis Obispo County

October 8, 2026

By KAREN VELIE

As measles cases spread throughout the United States, Santa Luis Obispo County recently reported its first measles case in 2026.

Potential exposure locations

Health officials have identified the following potential community exposure locations and times linked to this case:

• Family Industrial Medical Center – Oct. 5 between 8:30 a.m. and 10:30 a.m., and Oct. 6 between 12:30 p.m. and 3 p.m.
• Arroyo Grande Community Hospital emergency room – Oct. 7 between 6:30 a.m. and 1 p.m.

If you were at either of these locations during the dates and times listed above, you may have been exposed to measles and could develop symptoms within 7 to 21 days.

In 2025, San Luis Obispo County confirmed its first case of measles since 2018. In that case, the infected party had  traveled abroad.

The United States has confirmed 3,887 cases of measles in 2026. Last year, there were 2,289 measles cases reported.

Only 7% of people contracting measles have had at least one vaccine dose, while the vast majority are unvaccinated, according to the CDC. Health officials contend lower vaccination rates have led to the higher number of cases.

“Measles spreads through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes and it can linger in the air for up to an hour after they leave,” according to SLO County Department of Public Health. “Measles symptoms usually appear seven to 21 days after exposure, and typically begins with high fever, cough, runny nose, and red, watery eyes.

“Two or three days after symptoms begin, tiny white spots may appear inside the mouth. Then a rash of tiny red spots appears on the skin, first on the face and then on the rest of the body.”