Chicago migrant shelter reports measles outbreak

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has sent a team to Chicago to help contain an outbreak of measles that has sickened four.

The Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) reported on Monday March 11 that two adults at the shelter had been diagnosed and were in stable condition. That followed a Sunday announcement that a school-aged child at the Pilsen migrant shelter had been hospitalized with measles but was in "good condition." The first measles case detected at the shelter was a very young child who has since recovered and is no longer infectious.

The CDPH added Monday it has "assessed nearly all residents of the Pilsen shelter where there have been four confirmed measles cases, and successfully vaccinated more than 900 shelter residents with the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine. More than 700 shelter residents who were assessed and found to already be immune from previous vaccination or infection were allowed to enter and exit the facility. Those who are newly vaccinated were instructed to remain at the shelter for 21 days from date of vaccination, which is when the vaccine confers full immunity."

"As long as measles circulates in Chicago, we will continue to take a proactive approach to protecting as many people as we can from this highly infectious disease," CDPH Commissioner Olusimbo (Simbo) Ige, M.D., said in an agency news release. "Vaccination remains by far the most effective way to prevent the spread of measles. New arrivals and all Chicagoans should get the MMR vaccine if they haven't already."

The child diagnosed Sunday attends Philip D. Armour Elementary School. The health department advised school-aged shelter residents not to attend school on Friday or Monday.

"Once a student's vaccination status has been verified, students with confirmed vaccinations will be notified of the date to return to school," Pedro Martinez, CEO of Chicago Public Schools, said in a letter sent to families on Monday.