The infected individual’s story has been “not the most concrete,” investigators said.
ST. LOUIS — Confusion and gaps in communication are complicating efforts to track potential measles exposure at a popular St. Louis tourist attraction.
The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services was the first to notify the public Sunday that a person with measles may have exposed people at the St. Louis Aquarium during a visit last week.
According to the St. Louis Department of Health, the confirmed case came from an unvaccinated Illinois resident who visited the St. Louis Aquarium at Union Station from 1-6 p.m. on Wednesday, April 30.
“Anyone present during this exposure window has a chance to develop measles if they are not fully vaccinated,” Director of Health for the City of St. Louis, Dr. Mati Hlatshwayo Davis, said.
One school group was at the Aquarium during the exposure window, the city health department said, but it did not identify which school it was. The infected person also ate at a nearby restaurant, but the health department said they were still working on Tuesday to identify the restaurant, as the family paid with cash and couldn’t remember the name of the business.
The St. Louis Health Department said the case was originally reported to the Illinois Department of Public Health, which later notified the Missouri DHSS. The infected individual’s story has been “not the most concrete,” making it difficult to piece together an accurate timeline of where the person went and who may be at risk.
The Illinois State Health Department is working in partnership with the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services and the St. Louis Department of Health’s communicable diseases team.
“But we are only as strong as the willingness for individuals to speak to us and to provide details… We are trying to get more information from the individual,” Hlatshwayo Davis said.
“Anyone who experiences a high fever, cough, or runny nose, red watery eyes, or a rash that begins on the face and spreads to other parts of the body should immediately isolate and contact their care provider,” Hlatshwayo Davis said. “Please note that a rash may not develop for several days after exposure, so please do not wait for one to appear if you’re experiencing any of the other listed symptoms.”
The health department urged anyone who may have been exposed, especially those immunocompromised, pregnant, or the parent of a child who is too young to be vaccinated, to contact their health care provider or the Department of Health immediately. It also strongly recommends notifying your provider before visiting so they can take appropriate precautions to minimize potential exposure to others.
Those interested can contact the St. Louis Department of Health at 314-612-5100 or [email protected].
Measles is a highly contagious respiratory virus that causes febrile rash illness, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Although measles has been eliminated in the U.S. for decades, the virus is still easily imported by unvaccinated travelers and can spread in under-immunized communities. The Missouri DHSS said one person with measles can “easily pass it on to 9 out of 10 people around them who are unvaccinated or do not have natural immunity.”
Symptoms of measles usually begin seven to 14 days after infection, according to the CDC. The virus typically begins with a high fever, cough, runny nose and red, watery eyes. Two to three days after symptoms begin, tiny white spots may appear inside the mouth, and three to five days in, a measles rash usually begins to appear on the face at the hairline before spreading to the neck, trunk, arms, legs and feet.
Children under 5, adults older than 20, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems are most at risk of suffering severe measles complications, such as pneumonia or swelling of the brain, that could lead to hospitalization and even death, according to the CDC.
Missouri’s first confirmed case of measles this year was a child in Taney County, Missouri.
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