Bay Area Health Officials Warn of Measles Exposure at Panda Express

Potential exposure occurred over two days at a Burlingame location.

Published on Mar. 2, 2026

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A person with measles visited a Panda Express restaurant in Burlingame, California on February 23 and 24, potentially exposing others to the disease, according to Bay Area health officials. The infected individual, who recently traveled internationally, is now isolating at home.

Why it matters

Measles cases have been surging across the United States, with California seeing its largest outbreak in five years. Health officials are warning unvaccinated, pregnant, or immunocompromised individuals who may have visited the Panda Express during the specified times to be vigilant for measles symptoms.

The details

The Panda Express location is at 1453 Burlingame Avenue in Burlingame. San Mateo County health officials said anyone who visited the restaurant on February 23 or 24 between 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. may have been exposed to measles. The infected individual is vaccinated but recently traveled internationally.

  • The person with measles visited the Panda Express on February 23 and 24.
  • The potential exposure window was between 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. on those two days.

The players

Santa Clara County Public Health Department

The public health department that issued the warning about the measles exposure.

San Mateo County Health

The county health department that provided details about the potential exposure at the Panda Express location.

Dr. Sarah Rudman

The Santa Clara County Public Health Director who commented on the region's high vaccination rates.

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What they’re saying

“Fortunately, our region has strong community immunity, because of our very high rates of vaccination or from childhood exposure decades ago.”

— Dr. Sarah Rudman, Santa Clara County Public Health Director (sfgate.com)

“Two shots of MMR or MMRV vaccine are the best protection against measles and can stop a measles outbreak in its tracks.”

— Dr. Sarah Rudman, Santa Clara County Public Health Director (sfgate.com)

What’s next

Health officials are urging anyone who may have been exposed to monitor for measles symptoms over the next 21 days.

The takeaway

This incident highlights the ongoing threat of measles outbreaks, even in highly vaccinated communities, and the importance of maintaining high vaccination rates to protect vulnerable populations.