INDIANAPOLIS (WLS) — The Illinois Department of Public Health is reporting the first case of measles in the state in 2025.
The patient is an adult in far southern Illinois.
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The clinic where the patient got care is working to identify if anyone else was exposed.
This is the first known measles case in Illinois since an outbreak in Chicago early last year that led to 67 cases.
Earlier this month, Indiana health officials announced at least six cases in Allen County, which is in the area around Fort Wayne.
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Measles is highly contagious, and is spread when an infected person sneezes or coughs.
Illinois officials said the risk of measles transmission for the general public in Illinois remains low.
The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) is closely monitoring an outbreak in Texas and New Mexico, where over 680 cases have been confirmed, resulting in three deaths, including two children. Nationally, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has reported over 800 confirmed measles cases across more than 25 jurisdictions in the United States, which is more than double the national total in 2024.
“The first reported case of measles in Illinois in 2025 serves as a reminder to our residents that this highly infectious disease can be prevented through timely vaccination,” stated IDPH Director Dr. Sameer Vohra.
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