Health
23 Measles Cases Confirmed in Illinois This Year Amid Ongoing Outbreak
(WTTW News)
There’s an uptick in measles this year in Illinois.
The state has seen 23 confirmed measles cases this year, the Illinois Department of Public Health announced Friday. The cases are mainly driven by an outbreak that began last month in Douglas and Moultrie counties located south of Champaign-Urbana, which account for 16 cases, according to the health department.
The outbreak is among unvaccinated people or people with an unknown vaccination history, according to IDPH. The health department defines an outbreak as three or more cases connected by a common source.
The rise in cases comes as the Chicago Department of Public Health recently identified Union Station as a potential measles exposure location and confirmed additional cases of measles in domestic travelers who passed through the station earlier this month.
While the risk to Illinois residents remains “very low,” according to health officials, residents are reminded to make sure they are vaccinated against the disease in order to protect themselves and their loved ones.
“While Illinois is fortunate to have high vaccination rates overall, there are still areas across the state with lower vaccination rates where people are at high risk,” IDPH Director Dr. Sameer Vohra said in a statement. “To keep yourself and your loved ones safe, confirm you are up to date on the MMR vaccine and all other age-appropriate immunizations.”
The measles-mumps-rubella vaccine, when administered in two doses, is 97% effective in preventing the disease. The first dose is usually given around 1 year of age and the second is usually given between 4 and 6 years of age, before a child starts school, but can be given as soon as 28 days after the first dose, according to IDPH.
Measles is a highly contagious disease that can spread through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes, or through direct contact with nose or throat secretions from an infected person.
Measles was declared eliminated in the U.S. in 2000, but it has seen a resurgence in recent years due to a drop in national immunization rates, according to IDPH.
Last year, Illinois saw 14 confirmed measles cases.
In 2024, the state had its highest number of measles cases in recent years with 67 confirmed cases, which were primarily tied to a migrant shelter outbreak in Chicago, and with more than half of the measles cases in the city affecting children ages 4 or younger.
Contact Eunice Alpasan: [email protected]
