LA Briefs: Measles Exposure Alert Issued, City Scales Back Layoff Plans

Credit: Defense Visual Information Distribution Service via Picryl.com. Creative Commons

Public Health Investigating Measles Exposure Linked to Traveler

LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health is investigating a confirmed case of measles linked to an international traveler who was infectious while passing through Los Angeles International Airport or LAX. Public Health is working to identify any other potential exposure sites in Los Angeles County and any others who may have been exposed and will assess their risk for developing a measles infection.

This traveler arrived on China Airlines Flight #008 at the Tom Bradley International Airport (TBIT) Terminal B, gate 153 on August 2.

Individuals who were at Terminal B between approximately 9:30 p.m. on Aug. 2 and 12:35 a.m. on Aug. 3 may have been exposed to the measles virus. In collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention or CDC, passengers seated near the infected traveler on China Airlines Flight #008 on Aug. 2 may have been exposed and will be notified by their respective local department of health.

The CDC and local public health departments routinely work together to investigate communicable disease exposures on international flights to the United States.

City Reduces Number of Proposed Layoffs

LOS ANGELES — On Aug. 6, LA city council held a special personnel and hiring committee meeting where it was updated on the progress made in reducing layoffs tied to the city’s fiscal year 2025–26 budget. The city administrative officer or CAO reported that the number of layoffs has dropped to 394, down from the 1,647 positions initially proposed in the mayor’s budget. After the budget committee restored more than 1,000 filled positions in core service departments, the personnel committee has focused on transferring the remaining positions slated for elimination into funded vacancies. Working with the CAO and personnel department, the city council has reduced the layoff figure through position transfers and redeployments. The city is following a phased approach under Charter Section 1015 to calculate layoff and displacement seniority, identify affected employees, and prioritize them in the transfer portal.