Measles case in Lake County, Illinois; part of Chicago outbreak
LAKE COUNTY, Ill. - The Lake County Health Department in Illinois has confirmed a case of measles in a Lake County resident. It made the announcement on Saturday, March 23.
To date, there have been more than 60 reported measles cases in Illinois since 2010. Case investigation has determined that this case is related to the ongoing situation in the City of Chicago.
The health department is working to identify and notify people that may have been exposed to measles, including at the facilities where the Lake County resident sought medical care.
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It is in close contact with the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) as the investigation continues.
The health department has identified the following exposure locations in public settings.
Members of the public who were at any of the locations on the dates below might have been exposed to measles:
Dates, times and locations
Those who have been vaccinated against measles are likely protected and do not need to take further action at this time. You are asked to monitor for symptoms for 21 days and call the health department if symptoms develop.
Unvaccinated people who were at any of the locations above on the dates and times listed, may have been exposed to measles and should contact the department’s communicable disease team at 847-377-8130.
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According to the Lake County Health Department, while cases of measles are exceedingly rare due to high vaccination coverage from childhood, reports of measles cases have recently been increasing internationally and in the United States.
The measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine is extremely effective at preventing measles and remains by far the best protection against measles for people of all ages. However, measles is highly contagious and can be dangerous to those who are unvaccinated, especially babies and young children.
"Vaccination is the best tool we have to prevent the spread of measles. This is a good reminder to make sure that you are up to date on all your vaccines," said Dr. Sana Ahmed, the Lake County Health Department's Medical Epidemiologist. "If you don’t know if you have been vaccinated, ask your healthcare provider to find out if you need an MMR vaccine. If your child is one year old or older and has never received the MMR vaccine, contact your child's pediatric provider to discuss how your child can get caught up with their vaccines."