People may have been exposed to the measles virus at St. Louis Lambert International Airport earlier this month, Missouri health officials warned.
The possible exposure occurred on Feb. 7 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at Terminal 2 and at the baggage claim. The person also rode on Parking Spot shuttle #3 to the parking lot, officials said.
“Those potentially exposed during the individual’s flight are being notified directly,” the department said. “All individuals with possible exposures should watch for the symptoms of measles for 21 days (Feb. 28 in this case) from the date of exposure and report to their local public health agency if symptoms appear.”
People who suspect they have contracted measles should isolate themselves and speak to a health care provider before they go to get tested, the agency said.
“Anyone who experiences symptoms should immediately isolate and contact their health care provider; you should contact any medical facility before arrival so that proper precautions can be taken to ensure the safety of others.”
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), around 910 confirmed measles cases in the United States have been reported so far in 2026. Most of the cases have been in South Carolina, with a total of 962 cases since October 2025.
On Wednesday, the Illinois Department of Public Health reported a case of an infected person who is an adult and who resides in Metro East, an urban area in southern Illinois near St. Louis that includes East St. Louis, Monroe, St. Clair, Alton, Edwardsville, and Belleville.
Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Collinsville, Illinois, may have had measles exposure at two worship services on Feb. 8 between 8 a.m. and 12:15 p.m.
“The church has notified congregants of this exposure and provided guidance on how to protect themselves and their loved ones. For exposure locations where people can be individually identified, the local health department is notifying them directly,” the statement said. “Additional potential exposure locations have been identified in other states.”
Neither Missouri nor Illinois state health officials provided more details about the person who was confirmed to have had the measles, nor where the person had traveled before entering the two states. The Epoch Times contacted the Illinois Department of Public Health and the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services for comment on Wednesday.
Measles is a highly contagious virus that spreads easily through the air when an infected individual coughs, sneezes, or breathes, and symptoms typically present in two distinct stages. The first stage includes fever, cough, watery, red eyes, and a runny nose, and typically occurs seven to 14 days after exposure.