INDIANAPOLIS — As outbreaks pop up across the country, RTV6 has learned more about a case of measles in a person visiting Indianapolis from out-of-state.
The Marion County Health Department announced the case on Wednesday, as officials flagged two Indianapolis locations where residents may have been exposed.
The case was confirmed in a patient who stayed at Microtel at 5815 Rockville Road, March 18. The manager at the hotel says he can't find out which room the person stayed in. The patient also went inside of Shapiro's Delicatessen on South Meridian Street the same day.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, most people who get measles are not vaccinated.
The disease - considered eradicated in 2000 - has seen a surge in recent years. The World Health Organization in January called the anti-vaccination movement a global threat.
Some parents choose not to vaccinate their kids because of a debunked myth that vaccines are linked to autism. The CDC says there is no link.
They're threatening to reverse decades of progress tackling preventable diseases.
If you aren't vaccinated and were exposed to measles last week, the health department says you'd likely already have symptoms, such as fever, rash, a cough, and runny eyes.
As of March 21, the CDC confirmed 314 cases of measles in 15 states this year. For all of 2018, there were 372 cases.
Measles is a highly contagious virus. It can live up to two hours in an air-space where an infected person coughed or sneezed, according to the CDC.
If you believe you were exposed and you're having symptoms, call your doctor immediately.
