Minnesota health officials warn of possible measles exposures

Minnesota health officials said a non-Minnesotan with measles traveling through the state may have exposed others to the infectious disease in mid-April.

Minnesota Department of Health infectious disease director Kris Ehresmann said people who were at the McDonald's at 172 Main St. in Winona, between 12:30 p.m. and 4 p.m. April 13 or at the Freeborn County Co-op at 1840 Margaretha Ave. in Albert Lea between 9:30 a.m. and 11:45 a.m. the morning of April 16, should check their immunization status and watch for signs of the disease.

Ehresmann said anyone who thinks they might have measles should alert their health care provider and isolate themselves from others.

"We want to make sure that we don't have an introduction that kind of goes undetected," she said. "We don't want to have the opportunity for measles to gain a foothold in Minnesota."

Measles can be spread when an infected person coughs or sneezes. The virust can remain in the air for up to two hours after an infected person leaves an area.

Symptoms of the virus include high fever, cough, runny nose, red, watery eyes and a rash.

A year ago, state health officials were trying to contain a measles outbreak primarily in the Somali-American community in Hennepin County. There were 59 cases, most of them young children.

In a statement, state officials said Minnesota has not confirmed any measles cases so far in 2018, but measles exposure can occur at any time and at any place.

"Measles cases and outbreaks have been reported in multiple states so far in 2018, and because of international and domestic travel, the risk of exposure is always present."