A resident of suburban Chicago has a confirmed case of measles, Illinois' public health director said on Tuesday.
IDPH Director Nirav Shah said the resident became ill earlier in the month and tests came back positive for the virus, a highly contagious respiratory disease with a characteristic rash.
Just ten cases of measles have been reported in Illinois over the last five years, Shah said.
This case in Illinois is a reminder of the importance of immunizations," he said. "Immunizations are vital to protect not only each child, but the community as a whole."
The Illinois Department of Public Health said it was working with the Cook County Department of Public Health to trace and contact all potential people who were exposed.
Officials said potential exposures may have occurred at:
- Northwest Community Hospital's emergency room in Arlington Heights on Jan. 14 and Jan. 17.
- Supermercade Guzman in Palatine on Jan. 12 and Jan. 13.
- Vista Clinic in Palatine on Jan. 16.
A person who was potentially exposed and is experiencing symptoms a fever of 101 F or higher, cough, runny nose and red eyes with or without rash, should call the Cook County Department of Public Health at 847-818-4020 as well as their healthcare provider. These individuals should not go to their doctor’s office or the emergency room as they could infect others around them.
A measles outbreak that originated at Disneyland and has grown to 87 cases, health officials in California said Tuesday. Seventy-three of the cases are in California, with the rest in Arizona, Utah, Washington, Colorado, Oregon, Nebraska and Mexico.
U.S. & World
The U.S. experienced a record number of measles cases last year, with 644 infections reported from 27 states.
