KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Missouri has its second confirmed case of measles, the state Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) announced Tuesday.
The DHSS said an adult was diagnosed with measles in New Madrid County.
“There is no indication of widespread public exposure,” the DHSS said in its news release. “Exposure is believed to be limited, and known contacts are being identified and contacted.”
The department said the case in New Madrid County is not linked to the prior case or prior exposures reported in Missouri.
FOX4 reached out to the DHSS, and a spokesperson confirmed that this is the second measles case in Missouri – not to be confused with an out-of-state case in Illinois.
However, the Illinois resident may have exposed others in Missouri after visiting the St. Louis Aquarium on Wednesday, April 30, as well as a nearby restaurant, according to St. Louis officials.
City officials issued a health advisory on Monday, May 5, warning the public of potential measles exposure. You can read the full advisory here.
Missouri had its first confirmed case of measles on April 18, when a child visiting Taney County was diagnosed.
Dozens of measles cases have also been confirmed in Kansas, and there have been more than 900 confirmed cases nationwide.
What to know about measles
Measles is a highly contagious viral illness that typically begins with fever, cough, runny nose and red and watery eyes. Symptoms appear within 7 to 14 days after contact with the virus. Tiny white spots may appear inside the mouth 2 to 3 days after symptoms begin.
Measles rash appears 3 to 5 days after the first symptoms. It usually begins as flat red spots that appear on the face at the hairline. They then spread downward to the neck, trunk, arms, legs and feet.
Measles can cause severe health complications, including pneumonia, encephalitis (inflammation of the brain) and death.
Measles can be transmitted by direct contact with infectious droplets or by airborne spread when an infected person breathes, coughs or sneezes. The virus can remain infectious in the air and on surfaces for up to 2 hours after an infected person leaves an area.
People who are infected will begin to have symptoms on average 1 to 2 weeks after being exposed to a person with measles.
People who think they have measles or may have been exposed to measles should isolate themselves and call their health care provider before arriving to be tested. It is important to let the provider know that the patient may have measles and to get instructions on how to come to the office for diagnosis without exposing other people to the virus.
More information about measles and county-level MMR vaccination rates can be found at Health.Mo.Gov/Measles.
Stay with FOX4 for the latest updates on this and other breaking news.