The Lake County General Health District (LCGHD) has been informed by Geauga Public Health (GPH) of possible exposure to measles in a public location in Lake County. GPH is working with the individual and their healthcare providers to identify known contacts. The contacts will be notified by their local health department and provided guidance on quarantining. There are no known cases of measles in Lake County at this time.
An individual with measles visited one location in Lake County while they were able to spread the virus. Visits occurred on three separate dates. The exposure time includes when the person was at the location listed below, plus the two hours after they left. Anyone who was at the location during the times shown may have been exposed to measles:
| Exposure Dates and Times | Location |
| Saturday, October 3; Monday, October 5; Tuesday, October 6 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. | SweetBerry Fresh Market, 30022 Euclid Ave., Wickliffe OH 44092 |
If you are not immunized or do not know if you are immune and were at the location listed above, or have been in contact with someone who has developed illness with a fever or unexplained rash, contact your healthcare provider for further instructions. Symptoms would likely appear 7-21 days after being in the same location(s) as the person with measles. Depending on the date of possible exposures noted above, symptoms may appear between October 10 and October 27, 2026. Start of symptoms may be delayed in people with compromised immune systems.
Measles is extremely contagious and can spread to others through coughing and sneezing. The measles vaccine (called MMR as it protects against measles, mumps, and rubella) is very safe and effective at preventing measles. Two doses of MMR are 97% effective against measles. If you are up to date on measles vaccine, the risk of getting sick is very low.
The measles virus can live for up to two hours in air where an infected person coughed or sneezed. If other people breathe the contaminated air or touch an infected surface and then touch their eyes, noses, or mouths, they can become infected. People with measles can spread it to others from four days before, through four days after a rash appears.
Measles symptoms include a rash, high fever, runny nose, cough, loss of appetite and red, watery eyes. The rash usually lasts five to six days and begins at the hairline, moves to the face and upper neck, and proceeds down the body. Diarrhea and ear infections are common complications of measles. More severe complications may also occur.
Complications from measles are more common among children younger than 5 years of age, adults older than 20 years of age, pregnant women, and people with compromised immune systems. As many as one out of every 20 children with measles gets pneumonia, the most common cause of death from measles in young children.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends all children get two doses of MMR vaccine, starting with the first dose at 12 through 15 months of age, and the second dose at 4 through 6 years of age. MMR vaccine can also be given to adults who are not vaccinated or whose vaccination status is unknown. For more information and updates, visit the LCGHD website (www.lcghd.org/measles). For more information about measles, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) website (www.cdc.gov/measles).
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