The Door County Department of Health wants you to be aware of what to look for when it comes to the measles. There has been an outbreak in this country with 23 states reporting cases of it. Those include neighboring states like Illinois, Michigan and Iowa. So far no reported cases have been found in Wisconsin. According to Sue Powers, Health Officer for Door County, symptoms of measles can be similar to less severe diseases, starting often with a cough, runny nose, fever and irritation in the eyes. The classic red rash often doesn’t appear until a few days later, usually beginning along the hairline. Powers says measles cases often develop complications that make it more dangerous.

Because it is an airborne illness, the disease can spread quickly and individuals can be contagious before knowing that they have measles. Powers added the safest protection against the disease is the MMR vaccine, which is routinely given to children under 3 as two booster shots but can be administered to anyone.