Los Angeles area is on 'high alert' after measles exposures

Southern California is dealing with an outbreak of the measles, and residents of the Los Angeles region are reportedly on high alert.

The University of California, Los Angeles and California State University at Los Angeles have both quarantined hundreds of students, faculty, and staff. The decisions result from fears that they may have been exposed to the contagious disease earlier this month. The universities are beginning to clear many of those initially quarantined and most people, once their immunizations are confirmed, will be able to return to campus within 48 hours. But those who have not confirmed their immunizations could be asked to remain out of contact with others for up to 21 days, The Washington Post reports.

There have also been possible exposures at two of the region's major transportation hubs, LAX and Long Beach Airport, but there does not appear to be any risk of outbreak associated with either airport, ABC7 reports.

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Several other regions of the United States have experienced recent outbreaks of the measles. The Post reports there have been 695 cases reported across 22 states. That is the highest number of cases in a single year since the disease was considered eliminated in 2000.