There was a measles case in Dane County: What you need to know

On April 26, 2024, we reported one confirmed case of measles in Dane County. This person was infected during domestic travel, not in Dane County.

Measles is a very contagious virus that spreads easily and rapidly through coughing and sneezing. If you are unvaccinated, simply being in the same room with someone who has measles is enough to get infected. Need more measles details? See our measles webpage.

There are a few locations in Dane County where people may have been exposed to measles.

As of this posting, we identified the following locations where people may have been exposed to measles, and we do not have a list of people exposed:

• uBreakiFix
  • 2810 E Washington Ave, Madison, WI
  • Monday, April 22 between 5:00 – 7:30pm
• Noodles & Company
  • 110 Limestone Pass, Cottage Grove, WI
  • Monday, April 22 between 5:15 – 7:45pm
• There were additional exposure sites in Rock County. See the Wisconsin Department of Health Services news release for a list of these locations.
• If we identify additional sites, we’ll add them to our measles webpage.

If you were exposed at these locations, check your MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccination status and monitor yourself for symptoms.

Check your vaccination status

• If you were vaccinated in Wisconsin: You can find your records using the Wisconsin Immunization Registry (WIR) or you can call your health care provider.
• If you were vaccinated somewhere else or have incomplete records: You can reach out to the health department in the jurisdiction where you may have been vaccinated. CDC has a list of other state’s immunization information systems. You can also request serology from your doctor. This is a blood test to see if you have measles antibodies.

If you can confirm you were vaccinated, it’s extremely unlikely you will get measles. If you are fully-vaccinated, the measles vaccine is 97% effective at preventing illness. Keep an eye out for measles symptoms just in case, but it’s very unlikely you will get sick.

If you are unprotected and were exposed, you need to quarantine.

Unprotected means you were born after 1957 and are unvaccinated or have no laboratory evidence of having had measles. Because measles is so infectious, if you have exposure, you will need to quarantine, which means you’ll need to stay home and not go to work, school, or any public places for up to 14 days after exposure. Call us at 608-266-4821 and tell the operator you are unprotected and were exposed to measles, and we can give you instructions.

Look out for measles symptoms for 7 to 21 days after you were exposed

• If you were exposed, you won’t get sick right away. Measles symptoms appear 7 to 21 days* after contact with the virus. If, for example, you were at Noodles & Company during the time period listed above, it may not be until May 6th that you have any symptoms.
• Symptoms typically include high fever, cough, runny nose, and watery eyes. Measles rash appears 3 to 5 days after the first symptoms (see pictures of the rash).

If you were exposed and have symptoms of measles

• Stay home. If you develop any of these symptoms, stay home and do not go to work, school, shopping, or use public transportation.
• Call your doctor’s office or clinic before visiting. Measles is one of the most contagious diseases. It’s extremely important that the office or clinic take steps to protect other people before you come to see them.

What if I wasn’t at any of the locations above?

You do not need to worry about monitoring yourself for symptoms, but it’s always good to check that you’re up to date on your MMR and other vaccinations!

Measles can be prevented by the MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) immunization. The MMR vaccine can protect you from serious illness. CDC considers people who received two doses of measles vaccine as children according to the U.S. vaccination schedule protected for life, and they do not need a booster dose.

Getting vaccinated

• We offer free vaccines to uninsured adults and children, and children with Medical Assistance. Vaccination clinics are held in various locations and are by appointment only. Make an appointment online or call (608) 266-4821.
• If your child needs vaccines, we’re working with partners to host a vaccination clinic on May 11! We can accept some types of insurance at this clinic, too. See our website for details.
• You can also get vaccinated at area pharmacies and your doctor’s office. 

*The original version of this blog stated 7-14 days. We updated to clarify symptoms can start at any time from day 7 after exposure to day 21 after exposure. In other words, people who are exposed need to monitor for symptoms for 14 total days, starting at day 7 after exposure and monitoring through day 21.