Will County identifies second measles case

A second case of measles confirmed in Will County has been traced to the emergency room at Ascension Saint Joseph – Joliet hospital.

The Will County Health Department announced Friday morning that it has confirmed the case, which follows a previous case that was confirmed on March 23.

People who were at the Ascension Saint Joseph – Joliet Emergency Department, located at 333 Madison St., on Tuesday between 1 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. may have been exposed to measles, the health department said in a news release.

“Those previously vaccinated against measles are likely protected and do not require further action,” according to the release. “Anyone exposed should monitor for symptoms for 21 days and call the health department if symptoms develop.”

Anyone at the Ascension Saint Joseph – Joliet emergency room at the time of potential exposure should contact the Will County Health Department’s Communicable Disease staff at 815-727-8481 if they have not already been contacted, according to the release.

Staff at the health department is collecting information so they can identify, contact, and provide advice to anyone who may have been exposed to measles, according to the release.

The recent case follows a March 23 confirmation of measles in Will County that was linked to an outbreak of the disease in Chicago.

The health department in its news release did not link this week’s case to Chicago.

“The source of this case’s infection is still under an active investigation,” health department spokesman Kevin Juday said.

Fifty-four of the current 58 cases of measles in Illinois have been in Chicago. Two others were confirmed in suburban Cook County and in Lake County.

It’s the biggest outbreak in Illinois since 17 cases were reported in 2015, according to the Will County Health Department.

The recent cases are the first in Will County in about 25 years. Health department records showed the last case of measles before to have been reported before this year was in 1999.

Signs and symptoms

Measles in the U.S. has been mostly eradicated through vaccinations. The outbreak in Chicago has been traced to a Pilsen neighborhood shelter housing migrants who have come into the U.S. from other countries in recent months.

“Those previously vaccinated against measles are likely protected and do not require further action,” the health department said regarding potential exposure at Ascension Saint Joseph – Joliet.

The health department advised, however, that anyone who may have been exposed at the hospital emergency room to monitor for symptoms for 21 days and call the department if symptoms develop.

Signs and symptoms generally appear 10 to 14 days after exposure, according to the health department. Common symptoms include high fever, cough, runny nose, sore throat, red or watery eyes, and white spots that appear inside the mouth on the inner lining of the cheek.

A rash comprised of small red spots generally begins three to five days after other signs appear. The rash typically starts at the face and then spreads down the rest of the body.

“An infected person can spread measles up to four days before the rash appears and up to four days after the rash has been present,” according to the health department release.

Measles can cause major health complications, especially in children younger than five, according to the health department. Pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems also face more serious risk of complications from measles.