(WTTW News)

Local health officials are working to notify people who may have been exposed to measles after a northwest Indiana resident sought medical care last week in Chicago while contagious with the infection.

The Indiana resident, who had a confirmed measles case, sought care at three Chicago hospitals from Feb. 11-16, according to a news release from the Chicago Department of Public Health. No additional exposure locations have been identified in the city or state, local health officials said.

The confirmed case, from Lake County, Indiana, is the first measles case in Indiana since 2019, according to the Indiana Department of Health.

While local health officials said cases of measles are exceedingly rare in the Chicago area due to high vaccination coverage during childhood, measles is highly contagious and can be dangerous to those who are unvaccinated, especially babies and young children.

Measles is a serious respiratory infection that causes a rash and high fever and is capable of leading to pneumonia and other complications. After exposure to someone with measles, symptoms can take from seven to 21 days to show up.

People who develop symptoms of measles should contact a health care provider by phone or email before going to a medical office or emergency department so that special arrangements can be made in advance to protect other patients and medical staff from possible infection, according to the Illinois Department of Public Health.

In October, a measles case in Cook County involving an unvaccinated person was confirmed by local health officials in what was the first measles case in Illinois since 2019.

The measles-mumps-rubella vaccine, or the MMR vaccine, is highly effective and remains the best protection against measles, health officials said. A first dose of MMR is recommended at 12 months of age and a second at 4 to 6 years of age.

“It is never too late to get vaccinated against this virus, not only to protect yourself but also to protect those around you who may be unable or too young to be vaccinated themselves,” Chicago Department of Public Health Commissioner Dr. Olusimbo Ige said in a statement.

MMR vaccinations are offered at no cost for eligible uninsured adults and children at various health clinics around the city through CDPH. Adults who aren’t sure whether they’re vaccinated against measles should contact their health care provider, officials said.

Contact Eunice Alpasan: @eunicealpasan | 773-509-5362 | [email protected]