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Measles in Iowa: What parents, and the public, should know about the first case in nearly six years
DES MOINES, Iowa — The first confirmed case of measles in Iowa since 2019 was announced by the state's Department of Health and Human Services on May 23, 2025. However, specific details on the patient and potential exposure of additional residents have been limited.
'Through our thorough investigation, it was learned this individual had traveled outside of the state of Iowa,' said HHS's Director of Communications Alex Murphy via email to WHO 13's Katie Kaplan. 'A thorough investigation has been completed. Public health officials will be reaching out to identified contacts, and no widespread public exposure is anticipated.'
While the initial release from HHS on the confirmed Iowa case stated the patient was an unvaccinated adult, Murphy added that any further information about the specifics of the case was 'protected from disclosure under Iowa Code 139A.3(3).'
While it is unconfirmed which medical facility the patient was treated at, WHO 13 was able to view internal messages from Central Iowa medical networks that were sent to area medical professionals. One noted that the Central Iowa resident may have recently traveled to Mexico and Texas. HHS confirmed to WHO 13 that the patient traveled internationally, but did not specify where.
The announcement about the highly contagious viral illness that is spread through the air when an infectious person coughs, sneezes, or breathes was made late in the workday on a Friday afternoon before the Memorial Day weekend.
'Measles is as scary as it sounds because it's so contagious,' said Dr. Daniel Pelzer, a Pediatrician with the Iowa Clinic. 'It is 10 to 12 times more contagious than a normal flu virus that spreads around every year. And for that reason, it's important for us to get ahead of that so that the unvaccinated or under-vaccinated in our community aren't at risk.'
Pelzer said local physicians have been following the growing number of cases across the U.S. and have been preparing for a local case for months. He added that the case, which HHS said tested positive at the State Hygienic Laboratory, activated the plans that include vetting patients through their symptoms, limiting exposure to the public, and the potential use of hazmat, or PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) gear, for health providers.
He said the first step the public should take if they believe they have the measles, or have been exposed to the illness, is to pick up the phone.
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'For parents, if you think you have a case of measles in your house, or a known exposure, call us. Again, measles is so contagious that if it would arrive in our office, it would grind the entire clinic to a halt because of the density of airborne virus transmission,' he said.
According to the HHS, about 1 in 10 people in the U. S. who get measles will be hospitalized, and 1 to 3 out of 1,000 children with measles will die even with good medical care.
Measles was declared 'eliminated' from the United States in 2000, according to the CDC. This meant the absence of the continuous spread of disease was greater than 12 months. Most people who have been fully vaccinated against the illness do not need booster shots and are 'less susceptible' to contracting it, Pelzer said. However, he said he has watched as immunizations in local children have fallen in recent years, specifically since the Pandemic.
'Herd immunity, about 95%, is what we need to effectively, in communities, limit the spread of measles,' he said. 'In the last decade that I've been a pediatrician in this town, I've seen that rate decrease from 95%, which is our safe rate, down to closer to 90% by our best guesses.'
Measles symptoms include a high fever, cough, and runny nose, followed by a red rash most often found on the face and arms. Tiny white bumps may also develop inside the mouth. The illness can lead to swelling of the brain and other complications.
'The best time to prevent measles is before an exposure occurs, and the best tool we have is getting the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine,' said Dr. Robert Kruse, State Medical Director, via a written statement provided by the HHS. 'Getting vaccinated not only protects you but also protects people in your community who can't get vaccinated, like infants too young to begin the series and those who are immunosuppressed.'
If you think you have been exposed to a measles case and have symptoms, call your medical provider or nearest emergency room ahead of time and tell them that you have been exposed to measles and have symptoms before arriving.
Measles symptoms begin to appear 7-to-21 days after exposure. As of June 5, nearly two weeks after the announcement of the case, the HHS told WHO 13 that there have been no other confirmed cases of measles in the state of Iowa.
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