Possible measles exposure in St. Louis area

ST. LOUIS, Mo. (KFVS) - State and area health departments are alerting the public to a possible measles exposure in the greater St. Louis area.

According to a release from the Missouri Department of Health Senior Services, the St. Louis County Department of Public Health and the St. Charles County Department of Public Health, they were notified of an internationally-imported confirmed case of measles.

Public health officials from all three agencies are working to notify anyone who may have been exposed to measles.

They say the following locations are being full cooperative in identifying individuals who may have been exposed.

Known times and location of possible exposure are:

GYM: Fitness Edge (10571 Old Olive Street Rd, Creve Coeur, MO 63141)

07/21: Possible exposure risk from 6:30 a.m.-2 p.m.
07/24: Possible exposure risk from 6:30 a.m.-7:30 p.m.
07/25: Possible exposure risk from 6:30 a.m.-3:30 p.m.

URGENT CARE: Total Access Urgent Care (2138 1st Capitol Dr., St Charles, MO 63301)

07/25: Possible exposure risk from 5-9 p.m.

HOSPITAL: Emergency Department at the Barnes-Jewish Hospital St. Peters (10 Hospital Dr., St Peters, MO 63376)

07/25: Possible exposure risk from 8:30-10:30 p.m.

According to the health department, measles is a highly-contagious, acute viral illness that is transmitted by contact with an infected person through coughing and sneezing.

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.

The symptoms of measles generally include a rash that appears 7-21 days after exposure. 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.

Measles typically begins with:

A high fever
Cough
Runny nose
Red, watery eyes

People who may have been exposed to measles should contact their health care provider if they develop cold-like symptoms with a fever and/or rash as described. Those who have been exposed to measles and have symptoms, you should NOT go to any health care facility without calling first.

Measles is a vaccine-preventable disease. You can check with your health care provider to make sure you and your family are up-to-date on vaccines.