CHICAGO — Illinois state and Chicago health department leaders have scored a victory over their response to the ongoing measles outbreak.
“The response has been swift, and while more work is needed, it continues to show efficacy,” said Dr. Samir Bourla, director of the Illinois Department of Public Health.
Chicago Department of Public Health Commissioner Dr. Olusinbo Ige said this is a success story.
Nationwide, the number of measles infections has already doubled from last year.
Illinois has the highest number of deaths among all states at 54. Cases have also been reported in Cook, DuPage, Will and Lake counties.
Many are linked to an outbreak at a migrant shelter in Pilsen, and public health officials say efforts to keep people up-to-date on vaccines are progressing well.
“We have visited all the shelters and vaccinated 100% of those exposed in the shelters and have already started administering second doses,” Ige said.
Since CDPH began administering vaccinations at the landing zone a month ago, not one person has refused the shot, Ige said.
“We've been rapidly increasing the number of people vaccinated, so we're starting to have some confidence,” Ige said.
That's confidence heading into the summer, when it was found that asylum seekers arriving in Chicago peaked at 2,000 per week last year.
Public health officials said they are preparing for that possibility this year.
“We have the infrastructure in place to deal with a surge should it occur,” Ige said.
“We know we must continue to be strong and remain vigilant,” Bourla said.
Infection timeline
First infection – March 7th
On Thursday, March 7, the Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) reported the first measles case in a Chicago resident since 2019.
Officials said the infected resident had not recently traveled outside of Chicago, but had reportedly interacted with domestic and international travelers.
CDPH has issued a warning of potential exposure to individuals who may have been in the following locations on Tuesday, February 27th:
- Swedish Hospital, Galter Medical Pavilion, 5140 North California Avenue, Chicago, 8:30 a.m. to 12 p.m.
- CTA Bus #92 (Foster) 9:15 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
Second infection – March 8th
On Friday, March 8, CDPH confirmed a measles case in a resident staying at the Pilsen Migrant Shelter.
The infected person has been identified as a young child who has recovered and is no longer contagious.
Third infection – March 10th
On Sunday, March 10th, a third case of the virus was confirmed in another resident of the Pilsen migrant shelter.
The second infected person, also identified as a toddler, was hospitalized in good condition on Sunday.
4th and 5th infections – March 11th
CDPH announced Monday that two additional cases were confirmed at the Pilsen migrant shelter.
Both cases are confirmed in adults, and both are in stable condition as of Monday.
6th, 7th and 8th infections – March 12th
The total number of Chicagoans infected with measles rose to eight on Tuesday after CDPH confirmed three more cases at a migrant shelter in Pilsen.
City officials have not disclosed the age of the infected person.
Gabriel Castillo contributed to this report.
Am I protected from measles?
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), measles is a highly contagious disease caused by a virus that can be easily spread by an infected person's breathing, coughing, or sneezing.
Many people are already protected in the United States.
The CDC said the measles vaccine, which has been used for more than 50 years, is considered highly effective. If you become infected with the measles virus, two doses of the vaccine are about 97% effective, and one dose is about 93% effective.
According to the CDC, 45 measles cases have been reported across the United States since January 1. In 2023, a total of 58 measles cases were reported across the United States.
According to the CDC, people who receive the vaccine typically have full lifelong protection after about two to three weeks.
Although vaccines have historically proven to be highly effective, the CDC says that about 3 in 100 vaccinated people can still get measles if they are exposed to it. Ta.
For more information on how to get vaccinated, call Cook County Health at 833-308-1988.
Gabriel Castillo contributed to this report
