ILLINOIS (WCIA) — The Illinois Department of Public Health has confirmed that the first measles case of 2025 has been reported in the state.
The IDPH said on April 23, laboratory testing confirmed that an adult in southern Illinois had contracted measles. As of Wednesday evening, this is the only case IDPH is aware of, and it is not considered an outbreak. Officials added that the risk of community transmission for the general public in Illinois is still low.
The IDPH will update the public if there are any “notable developments.”
IDPH is working with local health officials to figure out where exposure may have happened. The clinic that the patient went to for care is working to identify any exposed patients and checking on the immune statuses of those individuals. All exposed healthcare staff were wearing masks.
“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.”
The people most at risk are those who have not been vaccinated, including infants and people who can’t get vaccinated due to other health concerns.
“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,” Vohra said. “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 IDPH said symptoms include rash, high fever, cough, runny nose and red, watery eyes.
After exposure, symptoms can take from seven to 21 days to show up. Individuals who develop symptoms should contact a health care provider by phone or email before seeking medical care. This can help protect other patients and medical staff from possible infection.
This is the first measles case to be reported in Illinois since an outbreak in Chicago in early 2024 that resulted in 67 cases. But, the IDPH has been monitoring the outbreak in Texas and New Mexico, which resulted in more than 680 confirmed cases. Nationally, the CDC has reported 800 cases of measles
For more information about measles, visit the IDPH’s website or the CDC’s website.
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