January 2015 Current Events: Disasters & Science NewsHere are the key events in science and disasters news for the month of January 2015. Measles Cases Spread in the United States (Jan. 21): A measles outbreak is spreading from California into other states. According to health officials, 59 cases have been diagnosed in California so far, with eight more in Utah, Washington, Oregon, Colorado, and Mexico. The outbreak has been traced back to Disneyland where it began in mid-December. Five Disneyland workers are among those infected. Forty-two of the 59 cases in California have been traced back to Disneyland. The outbreak is increasing the debate over vaccinations. Those in favor of vaccinations point to a rise in measles cases since the U.S. was declared free of the disease in 2000. In 2014, there were 644 measles cases from 27 states, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.