The city is fighting against a potential measles outbreak.
On Wednesday (March 13), the Chicago Department of Public Health confirmed 10 measles cases in Chicago, with eight coming from a Chicago shelter housing new arrivals.
Two of those cases were Chicago Public Schools students who attend Philip D. Armour Elementary School and Cooper Dual Language Elementary Academy, ABC 7 Chicago reported. One of the cases involving those CPS students were identified over the weekend but information on which school they attended was not made known.
The city announced the first case on Friday at a shelter where approximately 1,900 people reside. Soon after, more cases emerged at the former warehouse located in the Pilsen neighborhood, with three confirmed on Tuesday and one on Wednesday.
Officials reported that nearly 900 residents have been vaccinated since Thursday night.
Though the majority of cases come from that shelter, Chicago Public Health Commissioner Dr. Olusimbo Ige said that they haven’t seen cases of those new arrivals coming to Chicago with the measles.
“Measles cases were acquired here. And so, we have been working very hard, taking our responsibility to safeguard the health of the new arrivals seriously,” said Dr. Ige on Wednesday.
On Tuesday, a team from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) arrived to assist local health officials in managing the outbreak and administering more vaccines. Public health officials are also screening and offering vaccinations to migrants as they arrive at the city’s landing zone.
State authorities are relocating families who have been exposed to measles from shelters to undisclosed hotels, prioritizing pregnant women and unvaccinated babies. According to CDC guidelines, babies should receive their first measles vaccine dose between 12 to 15 months of age.
The CDC advises a 21-day quarantine for individuals potentially exposed to measles.
ABC7 Chicago and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
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