(WAND) — The Illinois Department of Public Health has reported one case of measles in the state.
IDPH said the case involves an adult in far southern Illinois and is not connected to any known outbreak at this time. The department believes the risk to the public to still be low.
Illinois has had no other reported cases of measles since an outbreak in Chicago in early 2024 that resulted in 67 cases, according to IDPH. But nationally, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have reported 800 cases with multiple deaths.
Last month, Judy Kauerauf, the Communicable Disease Section Chief with the IDPH explained that the best prevention method for measles is getting vaccinated. "The vaccine is very effective. With even one dose, it's 93% effective. And with the two doses, it's 95%."
“This first reported case of measles in Illinois in 2025 is a reminder to our Illinois residents that this disease can be prevented with up-to-date vaccination,” said IDPH Director Dr. Sameer Vohra. “With hundreds of cases being reported nationally, we have been working closely with our local public health and health care partners to prepare for any potential measles cases in Illinois. IDPH is urging medical providers to consider a measles diagnosis in patients with consistent symptoms and alert their local health department immediately if they suspect a case.”
IDPH advises that for people traveling internationally or to a U.S. state with a measles outbreak, it is especially important to check vaccination records. Unvaccinated or under-vaccinated individuals should ideally receive their vaccine at least two weeks prior to travel to an area with a high risk of measles.
“The key to preventing measles is the highly effective measles/mumps/rubella (MMR) vaccine. Two doses of measles vaccine are 97% effective in preventing measles,” said Dr. Vohra. “I recommend that our Illinois residents make sure that they and their family members are up to date on the MMR vaccine and all other age-appropriate immunizations.”
The new Measles Outbreak Simulator Dashboard makes it easy for the public to find out the measles vaccination rate in any school in Illinois, public or private, and to determine the risk of a child being exposed to measles if a case is introduced in their school.
For more information about measles, contact your health care provider, or visit the Illinois Department of Public Health webpage on measles or the CDC’s measles site.
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