Colorado has confirmed 12 measles cases so far in 2026, including 10 that are linked to an outbreak centered on two Broomfield schools.
can take up to three weeks to appear and initially are nonspecific: a fever, cough, runny nose and red eyes. The rash, which typically starts at the hairline and moves down, appears about four days after someone becomes contagious, so people can spread the virus before they know what they have.
Check MMR vaccination rates for Colorado schools, preschools and child care facilities
Many of the exposure sites identified by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment as being linked to the Broomfield outbreak have expired, though they still include a sports bar in Arvada, a Chipotle restaurant in Westminster and Broomfield High School.
Two new exposure sites have been identified at the UCHealth Medical Center of the Rockies in Loveland in connection with a Weld County measles case.
The current locations where people could have encountered the virus are:
- Bout Time Pub & Grub, 5225 W. 80th Ave., Arvada, 8 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. March 10-11. Symptoms could appear through April 1.
- Broomfield High School, 1 Eagle Way, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Feb. 19-20 and Feb. 23-27. Symptoms could appear through March 20.
- Chipotle, 5160 W. 120th Ave., Westminster, 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Feb. 26. Symptoms could appear through March 19.
- UCHealth Medical Center of the Rockies Emergency Department, 2500 Rocky Mountain Ave., Loveland, 5:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., March 17. Symptoms could appear through April 7.
- UCHealth Medical Center of the Rockies Outpatient Pharmacy, 2500 Rocky Mountain Ave., Loveland, 11:25 a.m. to 1:25 p.m. March 18. Symptoms could appear through April 8.
People who encountered the virus and develop symptoms should call ahead before going for medical care, to reduce the odds of spreading the virus.
Two doses of the measles vaccine reduce the odds of infection by about 97%. People who haven't been vaccinated can get partial protection if they receive the shot within about three days of exposure to the virus.
Last year, the state recorded 36 cases -- a huge increase over the past decade, during which each year saw between zero and two cases.
