Chicago authorities warn of possible measles exposure at O'Hare

Officials from the Cook County Department of Public Health in Illinois warned Tuesday of possible exposure to measles from a contagious individual at O’Hare International Airport and two other locations.

In a press release, the department said people may have been exposed to measles if they were in Terminal 5 at the airport between 10:45 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. CT on Tuesday, March 24. 

People also may have been exposed Thursday, March 26, if they were at Fresh Farms, located at 8203 West Golf Road in Niles, Ill., between 7:30 p.m. and 9 p.m. CT, or if they were at Marshalls on that same block between 8 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. CT that day.

The person with measles also visited Endeavor Health Immediate Care Center in Mount Prospect, Ill., on Friday, March 27, the public health department noted. The department said it is working with the center to “identify and notify all people” who may have visited specific areas of the facility.

As of March 26, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has confirmed 1,575 measles cases nationwide, with 5 percent resulting in hospitalizations. Last year, the CDC confirmed 2,285 cases, by far the highest number since the World Health Organization declared the disease was eliminated in the U.S. at the turn of the century.

In January, the U.S. hit one year of measles transmission, meeting a key condition for losing its elimination status. Outbreaks of the disease are ongoing in Arizona, South Carolina, Texas and Utah, among other states.

To protect against the illness, the CDC recommends two doses of the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine. The public health agency noted that 92 percent of those who have contracted measles this year were unvaccinated or had unknown immunization status, while 4 percent received one dose of the vaccine.

As for those who are not vaccinated in Cook County, the public health department says they can talk to their health care provider or, if they do not have one, schedule a vaccination appointment with a county health clinic at 312-864-1111.

Measles symptoms appear seven to 14 days after contact with the virus, with a high fever, cough, runny nose, red and watery eyes and rash among the common symptoms, according to the CDC. For children younger than 5, measles can cause complications such as ear infections and diarrhea, along with serious complications such as pneumonia and encephalitis.

If an exposed individual develops symptoms, they should call a health care provider before going to a medical office or emergency department to “ensure that special arrangements can be made to prevent patients and medical staff” from exposure, the public health department noted noted.