The St. Louis County Department of Public Health, along with the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services and the St. Charles County Department of Public Health, have been notified of an internationally-imported case of measles in the region.

Officials from the three agencies are working to notify individuals who may have been exposed. The departments encourage the public to be aware of the symptoms measles, specifically a rash, and to reach out to their physician in the event an individual is experiencing symptoms. Rashes usually begin as flat red spots that appear on the face at the hairline and spread downward to the neck, trunk, arms, legs and feet.

People who may have been exposed to measles should contact their healthcare provider if they develop cold-like symptoms with a fever and/or rash as described. Those who have been exposed and are symptomatic should call any health care facilities before visiting.

Measles  is a highly-contagious acute viral illness that is transmitted by contact with an infected person through coughing or sneezing. Measles symptoms typically begin with:

• A high fever
• Cough
• Runny nose
• Red, water eyes

Three to five days after the onset of symptoms, a rash starts to appear. Patients are considered to be contagious from four days before until four days after the rash appears. The measles virus can remain infectious in the air for up to two hours after an infected person leaves an area. Measles is a vaccine-preventable disease.

Patients are encouraged to isolate and to report any suspected cases to their respective local public health authority of to the DHSS at 573-751-6113. The county department of health can be reached at 314-615-1630 or 314-615-7677 after hours.