3rd Cook County measles case reported in suburban Chicago

Cook County has identified its third measles case of the year in a 4-year-old child who lives in the Chicago suburbs.

The Cook County Department of Public Health said officials believe the case was linked to international travel. The agency is working to notify people who may have been exposed. Terminal 5 at O'Hare International Airport was a point of public exposure on Thursday from 7:30 a.m. to 11 a.m., officials said.

A Chicago resident and a suburban resident were both confirmed to have measles, a respiratory disease caused by one of the world’s most contagious viruses, in April, and Illinois officials declared the state's measles outbreak over in July when eight cases had been reported. As of last week, nearly 1,500 measles cases have been reported and three people have died this year nationwide.

In May, around 45% of Chicago Public Schools met the Centers for Disease Control and Protection's vaccination rate benchmark at a 95% vaccination rate for measles, a Sun-Times analysis found.

Anyone who may have been exposed should verify their vaccination status with their doctor. Anyone who is exposed and develops symptoms should call a health care provider before going to a hospital to avoid exposing more people, CCDPH said.

“This is a critical reminder for residents traveling to areas with active measles transmission to follow recommendations to get vaccinated with the MMR vaccine at least two weeks prior to travel. Children between the age of 6 and 11 months should get an early dose of the vaccine if they are planning on international travel,” said Dr. Kiran Joshi, chief operating officer of the Cook County Department of Public Health.

Measles first infects the respiratory tract, then spreads throughout the body, causing a high fever, runny nose, cough, red, watery eyes and a rash.

The rash generally appears three to five days after the first symptoms, beginning as flat red spots on the face and then spreading downward to the neck, trunk, arms, legs and feet. When the rash appears, the fever may spike over 104 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the CDC. There’s no specific treatment for measles, so doctors generally try to alleviate symptoms, prevent complications and keep patients comfortable.