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Measles

Measles is a reportable disease in Oklahoma. It is a highly infectious and serious disease caused by the measles virus. Measles is also known as rubeola, 10-day measles, hard measles, and red measles.

Situation Update

Exposure notifications will be posted as they are identified. The case summary information will be updated on Tuesdays by noon.

Exposures reported during the week of March 9 – 15, 2025

Business: Kohl's
Address: 12405 E 96th St N, Owasso, OK 74055
Date: Feb. 27, 2025
 Time: 1:30 - 5:30 p.m.

Business: Aldi
Address: 9259 N Owasso Expressway, Owasso, OK 74055
Date: Feb. 27, 2025
 Time: 4:20 - 7:00 p.m.

Business: Walmart Supercenter
Address: 12101 E 96th St N, Owasso, OK 74055
Date: Feb. 27, 2025
 Time: 5:15 - 8:00 p.m.

Business: Sam's Club
Address: 12905 E 96th St N, Owasso, OK 74055
Date: Feb. 27, 2025
 Time: 7:00 - 9:21 p.m.

Business: Sprouts Farmers Market
Address: 9601 N 133rd E Ave, Owasso, OK 74055
Date: Feb. 27, 2025
 Time: 7:30 - 10:02 p.m.

Business: Lowe's Home Improvement
Address: 1746 S Lynn Riggs Blvd, Claremore, OK 74019
Date: March 2, 2025
 Time: 7:00 - 9:27 p.m.

Symptoms

Symptoms of measles include high fever, cough, runny nose, watery eyes, and a red blotchy rash starting on the face then spreading to the rest of the body. Symptoms begin to appear about 7 to 14 days after a person is infected, but it can be as long as 21 days. 2-3 days after symptoms begin, Koplik spots (tiny white dots) may appear inside the mouth. After 3-5 days, a red rash appears, beginning at the hairline and spreading down the rest of the body over the next few days. When the rash appears, a person’s fever may spike to more than 104˚F. Symptoms may last for one to two weeks. Measles can be serious in all age groups, however, children younger than 5 years of age, adults older than 20 years of age, pregnant women, and people with compromised immune systems are at higher risk.

Spread

Measles is passed from person to person by airborne droplets from coughing and sneezing. Measles can also be spread by contact with nose and throat secretions from ill persons, or by touching a contaminated surface. Infected people can spread the virus four days before their rash starts and through four days after the rash appears. The virus can also live up to two hours in the air after an infected person leaves an area. 

If an individual is diagnosed with measles, the health department will work with the individual to determine when it is safe to return to work/school/daycare/public settings. Usually, an individual can return when they have had a rash for more than four days.

Prevention

Measles can be prevented by the measles vaccine (usually given in combination with rubella and mumps vaccines, or MMR vaccine), and is recommended for all children at 12 to 15 months of age and again at four to six years of age.  If a person has not received a second dose of the vaccine between four and six years of age, it may be given at any age thereafter.  The two doses of vaccine normally provide lifelong immunity. 

While measles was declared eliminated in the US with the help of effective vaccines, it is still common in many parts of the world. Every year, measles is brought into the US by travelers who got measles in other countries. If you think you have symptoms of measles or were exposed to measles, please contact your health care provider or your county health department immediately.

Oklahoma Measles Case Summary

As of March 18, 2025:

Total Cases

4

     Probable

4

     Confirmed

0

Hospitalizations

0

Death

0

Vaccination Status of Cases

 

     Unvaccinated/Unknown*

4

     Vaccinated: 1 Dose

0

     Vaccinated: 2+ Doses

0

 *The unvaccinated/unknown category includes people with no documented doses of measles vaccine more than 14 days before exposure. It takes the body about 14 days after vaccination to develop immunity to measles, so people aren’t considered vaccinated until that 14-day period has passed. To be protective, this immunity must be developed before the exposure to be considered vaccinated at the time of infection. When the exposure date isn’t known, the vaccine must be given at least 35 days before symptom onset to account for the 21-day incubation and 14-day period required to develop immunity post-vaccine.

FAQs

  • Most people in the United States have a low-risk for contracting measles due to an effective vaccine. However, outbreaks still occur as unvaccinated travelers come back to the U.S. from places were measles is still common. 
  • Measles is an immediately notifiable condition in Oklahoma.

  • Measles can be prevented by the measles vaccine (usually given in combination with rubella and mumps vaccines, or MMR vaccine), and is recommended for all children at 12 to 15 months of age and again at four to six years of age. 
  • If a person has not received a second dose of the vaccine between four and six years of age, it may be given at any age thereafter. The two doses of vaccine normally provide lifelong immunity.

  • If you believe you have measles, call your health care provider as soon as possible. Let them know of your symptoms and they will advise you on what to do next. It is important to call first because measles is highly contagious. 
  • If an individual is diagnosed with measles, the health department will work with the individual to determine when it is safe to return to work/school/daycare/public settings. If symptoms develop, you should stay away from public areas until five days after the rash started.

Resources

  • If you think you received measles containing vaccine as a child and were born in Oklahoma, you can search the state’s vaccine registry, called OSIIS, using the public portal.
  • If you think you received measles containing vaccine as a child but were born in another state, your vaccine record may be in that state’s vaccine registry. We recommend reaching out the state health department(s) in the state(s) where you would have received childhood vaccines to ask about obtaining your vaccine records.
  • Also look for hard copy vaccination records that may have been saved from your childhood. These types of records are commonly stored with baby book.
  • If you were born in 1957 or after and are unable to locate written documentation of the MMR vaccine, a positive IgG result, or a test result demonstrating infection, speak with your health care provider about what to do and if you need the MMR vaccine.
  • In general, individuals born before 1957 are considered immune against measles due to the likelihood of infection as a child. However, if you work in a health care setting, it’s recommended that even individuals born before 1957 have documented evidence of immunity.

  • Under the supervision of a health care provider, vitamin A may be useful as supportive management for infants and children once infected with measles, especially if they have a severe case of measles or low vitamin A levels.
  • Vitamin A cannot prevent measles.
  • Most people get vitamin A in their diet from foods like carrots, bell peppers, fish, broccoli, yogurt, and chicken.
  • However, some people may need a supplement. Because vitamin A builds up in the body over time, there is a risk of vitamin toxicity with taking too much supplemental vitamin A. For example, during pregnancy, vitamin A toxicity can cause birth defects, so it is important to talk to your health care provider before taking additional vitamin A.
  • The best way to prevent measles is to be vaccinated with the age-appropriate doses of the MMR vaccine.

  • If someone believes they have been exposed to a person with measles and they are not immune (either through vaccination or prior infection), they should stay away from public settings for 21 days starting from the date of their potential exposure.
  • Individuals with measles are contagious from four days before the onset of their rash until five days after the rash started.
  • They are also encouraged to call ahead to their health care provider and let them know of their possible exposure and symptoms if present.
  • If you or your child has been exposed to measles, the health department can assist you in monitoring symptoms and will advise you when it is safe to return to public settings.

  • Detectable antibodies generally appear within a few days after vaccination and people are usually fully protected after about 2 or 3 weeks.

  • Kindergarten Survey data are provided voluntarily by schools that wish to participate. The data indicates the percentage of kindergarten students who were up-to-date on their vaccinations or who had an exemption on file.
  • The percentage vaccinated for MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) is specifically related to their protection against measles.
  • Kindergarten Immunization Rate Map
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