A measles outbreak in Disneyland has been blamed on a movement of parents who have been opting out of getting vaccinations for their children, as public health officials have been containing at least 70 people who have gotten sick from the disease since mid-December.

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According to the reports, these people are mostly from California and are being treated in the six states and Mexico. Most of these people who got sick were found to have not received the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine also known as the MMR.

Measles might be rampant in other parts of the world, but the disease has been eradicated in the U.S. since 2000 because of vaccinations. However, the disease made its way back to the States due to people not having their children have the necessary shots. Other parents have delayed getting shots for their children in believing that the vaccine used in preventing measles can lead to autism.

Dr. James Cherry, a pediatric disease expert at the University of California, Los Angeles, said in a statement that people who are skipping shots are selfish still in reference to the anti-vaccine movement in the area.

According to an article published by the Los Angeles Times last week, measles is a disease that was beaten by modern medicine but "anti-science stubbornness" has prevented it from being totally eliminated as per the cases of measles in Disneyland.

Health authorities are saying that the outbreak might have been triggered by a measles-stricken visitor on one of the parks of Disney causing the virus to spread. The patients who are being treated of measles now ranged from seven months to 70 years old and even five workers from Disneyland.

Deanne Thompson, from the Orange County Health Care Agency, said in a statement: "It's tragic to see measles making a resurgence. When our immunity falls, it creates a problem for the whole community."

To further control the outbreak, those who have not been vaccinated are being asked to stay away from the Disneyland theme parks and the other employees of Disney who did not have immunization were given paid leaves in order to not fall ill with the disease. 

TagsMeasles outbreak, Disneyland, anti-vaccine movement, blamed, children, no shots