Chicago authorities warn of possible measles exposure at O’Hare

Officials from the Cook County Department of Public Health (CCDPH) warned Tuesday of possible exposure to measles from a contagious individual at O’Hare International Airport (ORD) and two other locations.

In a press release, the department said that individuals may have been exposed to measles if they were in Terminal 5 at ORD between 10:45 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. CST on Tuesday, March 24. 

Individuals also may have been exposed on Thursday, March 26, if they were at Fresh Farms, located at 8203 West Golf Road in Niles, Ill., between 7:30 p.m. and 9 p.m. CST, and if they were at Marshalls on that same block between 8 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. CST that day.

The individual with measles also visited Endeavor Health Immediate Care Center in Mt. Prospect, Ill., on Friday, March 27, CCDPH noted. The department said it is working with the center to “identify and notify all people” who may have visited specific areas of the facility.

As of March 26, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has confirmed 1,575 measles cases nationwide, with five percent resulting in hospitalizations. Last year, the CDC confirmed 2,285 cases, by far the highest number since the World Health Organization declared that the disease was eliminated in the U.S. at the turn of the century.

In January, the U.S. hit one year of measles transmission, meeting a key condition for losing its elimination status. Outbreaks of the disease are ongoing in Arizona, South Carolina, Texas and Utah, among other states.

To protect against the illness, the CDC recommends two doses of the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine. The public health agency noted that 92 percent of those who have contracted measles this year were unvaccinated or had unknown immunization status, while four percent received one dose of the vaccine.

As for those who are not vaccinated in Cook County, the public health department says they can talk to their health care provider or, if they do not have one, schedule a vaccination appointment with a county health clinic at 312-864-1111.

Measles symptoms appear seven to 14 days after contact with the virus, with a high fever, cough, runny nose, red and watery eyes and rash among the common symptoms, according to the CDC. For children younger than five, measles causes complications such as ear infections and diarrhea, along with serious complications such as pneumonia and encephalitis.

If an exposed individual develops symptoms, they should call a health care provider before going to a medical office or emergency department to “ensure that special arrangements can be made to prevent patients and medical staff” from exposure, CCDPH noted.

Copyright 2026 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.

More Health Care News

Trump ousts Bondi as attorney general

McConnell joins Democrats to defend US NATO membership

5 takeaways from President Trump’s address on Iran

Gorsuch asks Sauer if Native Americans are birthright citizens 

Colorado court orders resentencing for Tina Peters, election clerk backed by ...

Conservatives seethe after Johnson backs Senate plan he previously called ‘a ...

Iran responds to Trump address with missile attacks on Israel, Gulf states

Trump approval rating hits new low as Iran war squeezes economy

Live updates: Trump fires Pam Bondi as attorney general; Todd Blanche to be ...

Burchett on aliens: ‘You’d be up at night’ if ‘the things that I’ve ...

Newsmax prime-time host rips Hegseth over Kid Rock helicopter flyby

Trump losing support from core supporters as approval drops to record low in ...

Trump suggests states raise taxes to pay for child care, says federal ...

Rubio NATO post from 2023 goes viral after Trump threats

DHS funding bill in House’s court after Trump, GOP leaders reach deal

Trump not immune from civil claims from Jan. 6 speech, judge rules

Trump says he will sign an order to pay DHS employees

Barrett notes ‘messy’ outcomes of Trump’s birthright executive order

© The Hill