A Weld County resident has a confirmed case of the measles and may have exposed people at a northern Colorado hospital to the virus this week, public health officials said Wednesday.
The resident, an adult who was not vaccinated, recently traveled to an area in a different state that has an outbreak, officials with the and Weld County Public Health said in a news release.
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"The person was hospitalized but has been discharged. Public health officials do not believe it to be connected to the current outbreak in the Broomfield area," agency leaders said.
People who were at UCHealth Medical Center of the Rockies emergency department, 2500 Rocky Mountain Ave. in Loveland, between 5:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Tuesday may have been exposed to the measles.
People who were at the hospital's outpatient pharmacy between 11:25 a.m. and 1:25 p.m. Wednesday may also have been exposed, public health officials said.
Anyone who was exposed and is not vaccinated can get the vaccine within 72 hours of exposure -- in this case, by 8 p.m. Friday -- to help prevent illness, according to CDPHE.
Measles symptoms, including fever, cough, runny nose and red eyes, may appear through April 8. People may also develop a rash that usually starts on the face several days after the initial symptoms develop.
Anyone who develops symptoms should call their local public health agency or state public health officials at 720-653-3369 immediately. Those in need of medical care should call their doctor, urgent care or emergency department before arriving to help limit additional exposures.
Public health officials have confirmed so far this year, according to the CDPHE online dashboard. Ten of those cases are part of an outbreak linked to two schools in Broomfield. And all but one occurred in people who were not vaccinated.
There were 35 confirmed , 24 of which were in people who did not have the vaccine.
