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(Des Moines, IA) -- A case of the measles has been confirmed in Polk County, Iowa in an unvaccinated infant who traveled out -of-state with her family to an area where measles is spreading.
Addie Olson of the Polk County Health Department says right now, there are no known public exposure locations associated with the case, meaning the infant has not been anywhere in the local community while contagious.
Olson says the baby was too young to be immunized. She says symptoms begin 7 to 21 days after exposure and include fever, cough, runny nose and a rash that begins on the face and spreads to the rest of the body.
Olson says anyone with symptoms should not show up at a health care facility without contacting their health care provider first to avoid infecting others.
"Measles is highly contagious, and it spreads quickly when people travel and gather indoors, " said Juliann Van Liew, Polk County Health Department Director. "Vaccination is the best protection we have. Make sure you and your family are up to date on the MMR (Measles, mumps and rubella) vaccine."