The Illinois Department of Public Health are warning the public of possible exposure to the measles after one case was confirmed in northern Illinois on Friday.
According to health officials, a visitor to Illinois from out of the country became ill last week and tested positive for measles, but is no longer infectious. Potential exposures may have occurred to:
- Guests and staff at the Holmes Student Center Guest Room Hotel on the Northern Illinois University Campus, 340 Carroll Ave, DeKalb on May 13-15.
- Attendees of the Northern Illinois University College of Business reception at the Barsema Hall Atrium on May 13 beginning at 10 a.m. and a graduation ceremony at the Northern Illinois University Convocation Center, 1525 W Lincoln Hwy, DeKalb beginning at 1:30 p.m.
- Customers and employees at Walmart, 2300 Sycamore Rd, DeKalb on May 13 from 11:30 p.m. to 2 a.m. on May 14.
- Customers and employees at Panda Express, 1015 W. Lincoln Highway, DeKalb on May 14 from noon until 3 p.m.
- Guests and employees at the Chicago Essex Inn, 800 S Michigan Ave, Chicago on May 15-16.
A person who was potentially exposed and is experiencing a fever of 101 degrees F or higher, cough, runny nose, and red eyes with or without rash, should call their health care provider, officials said.
Experts advise against going directly to their doctor's office, as that increases the risk of infecting others. Measles is transmitted by contact with an infected person through coughing or sneezing and can remain in the air and on surfaces for up to two hours. Those infected are contagious from four days before their rash starts through four days after.
“Measles is highly contagious and a person with no immunity can become infected simply by being in the same room with someone who has the disease," IDPH Director Nirav Shah said in a release.
IDPH is working with local health departments to notify anyone who may have had exposure, officials said.
