Palm Desert High School sent 66 students home on Wednesday, and asked them not to return until Feb. 9, unless they get immunized or get an MMR Titer test to show their immunity.
The MMR Titer is a blood test that checks immunity to Measles, Mumps and Rubella by measuring antibody levels that respond to an infection with one of these diseases.
The decision came in an attempt to “prevent a second wave of cases,” after a high school student was sent home on suspicion of contracting measles two days earlier. She returned to class on Tuesday.
The Desert Sands Unified School District had sent out letters to parents, highlighting how contagious measles is and urging them to vaccinate their kids.
"Your child is at risk of developing measles if she/he has never had the disease or has not received two doses of measles vaccine. If your child has received one vaccination, she/he may not be immune and could develop measles," the letter read.
Health officials across the country have been concerned about the spread of measles as dozens were diagnosed with the disease due to anti-vaccination movements.
Two new cases were reported in Arizona on Tuesday, bringing the number of those linked to contracting measles to Disneyland parks to 89.
A man in Pinal County and a woman in Phoenix were linked to a family who was at Disneyland and was confirmed to have measles last week.
Public health officials have warned that the numbers exposed to measles will only grow.
“The outbreak of measles has reached a critical point," said Will Humble, director of the Arizona Department of Health Services. “The outbreak has the potential to be far worse than the state's last measles outbreak in 2008.”
"I am certain we will have more just based on the sheer number of people exposed this time," he added. "You spread it (the measles) before you feel bad.”
Officials believe thePhoenix woman may have exposed around 195 children to the disease.
Measles is a highly communicable respiratory disease that typically starts with a fever, cough, runny nose and red eyes, followed by a rash.
The disease outbreak started with a number of visitors reported coming down with measles after visiting Disneyland and Adventure Parks last December.
The number of measles cases in California has grown to 73, 50 of whom have been to Disneyland recently, according to the California Department of Public Health.
