The infected individual visited areas of Denver, Boulder, and Aurora the last week of December, sparking concern for a Colorado measles outbreak.
The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment has diagnosed an individual with measles and warned that they may have exposed people in the Denver, Aurora, and Boulder areas last month and inadvertently caused a Colorado Measles exposure.
The diagnosed individual, who has not been identified, is reported to be unvaccinated and had travelled internationally before spending time in Denver, Aurora, and Boulder during the last week of December.
Measles, once considered to be all but vanquished from the Developed World, has re-emerged in the wake of more and more parents choosing not to vaccinate their children. With more and more Coloradans choosing not to get vaccinated, the likelihood of a Colorado Measles outbreak is higher than it has been in decades. In 2016, Colorado was one of 17 states that reported cases of measles to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
It can take one to two weeks for someone exposed to the Measles virus to become symptomatic, but there have been cases of the incubation period lasting as long as 21 days after initial exposure.
Measles typically begin with patients exhibiting a high fever, persistent cough, runny nose, and red and watery eyes (pink eye/conjunctivitis). Two to three days after becoming symptomatic, tiny white spots – known as Koplik spots – begin to appear inside the patient’s mouth. Three to five days after becoming symptomatic, a rash of red, flat raised bumps breaks out on the exterior of the body and fever temperatures spike.
The Department of Health is asking anyone who visited the following locations during these time periods to monitor themselves for measles symptoms and seek medical attention if symptoms materialize.
Westerra Credit Union
14305 E. Alameda Ave. in Aurora, Colorado
December 21, 2016 from 11 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
King Soopers Buckley Square
17000 E. Iliff Ave. in Aurora, Colorado
December 21, 2016 from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Vitamin Cottage
3440 S. Tower Road in Aurora, Colorado
December 21, 2016 from 1 to 5 p.m. and Dec. 27 from 12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Walmart Supercenter, Pioneer Hills
5650 S. Chambers Rd. in Aurora, Colorado
December 21, 2016 from 2:30 to 5:30 p.m.
Alfalfa's Market
785 E. South Boulder Road in Louisville, Colorado
December 22, 2016 from 2 to 4 p.m.
T Mobile
1590 28th St. in Boulder, Colorado
December 22, 2016 from 3 to 5:30 p.m.
uBreakiFix
1136 Spruce St. in Boulder, Colorado
December 22, 2016 from 3:30 to 7 p.m.
Rebecca's Apothecary
1227 Spruce St. in Boulder, Colorado
December 22, 2016 from 5 to 8:30 p.m.
Falafel King
1314 Pearl St. in Boulder, Colorado
December 22, 2016 from 5 to 7 p.m.
Flatirons Mall, specifically the T Mobile and Brookstone stores
1 W. Flatiron Crossing Dr. in Broomfield, Colorado
December 22, 2016 from 6 to 10 p.m.
Chipotle Mexican Grill
1644 E. Evans Ave. in Denver, Colorado
December 22, 2016 from 8:30 to 10:30 p.m.
Dollar Tree Englewood Plaza
351 W. Englewood Parkway in Englewood, Colorado
December 23, 2016 from 5 to 7 p.m.
Walmart Supercenter
601 Englewood Parkway in Englewood, Colorado
December 23, 2016 from 4 to 7 p.m.
Sprouts Farmers Market
2880 S. Colorado Blvd. in Denver, Colorado
December 23, 2016 from 6 to 8 p.m.
AFC Urgent Care
760 S Colorado Blvd. in Denver, Colorado
December 27, 2016 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
T Mobile Blvd Center
1685 S. Colorado Blvd. in Denver, Colorado
December 27, 2016 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Lifetime Fitness
5000 E. Dry Creek Rd. in Centennial, Colorado
December 27, 2016 from 1 to 4 p.m.
Parker Adventist Hospital Emergency Department
9395 Crown Crest Blvd. in Parker, Colorado
December 29, 2016 from 5:30 p.m. to 1:30 a.m. on December 30
For more information, you can visit the Colorado Department of Health and Environment’s webpage for a full press release on this Colorado Measles warning. For any of those who have been in these locations, keep an eye on your health and for the warning signs of the measles!
