JOHNSON COUNTY, Iowa — Three more cases of measles have been confirmed in eastern Iowa.

According to the Iowa Health and Human Services website, the new cases are in three unvaccinated individuals — an adult female and two children.

The three new cases were all exposed to measles by another family member, an unvaccinated child, who reportedly contracted the disease during international travel, according to the Johnson County Department of Public Health.

The department of public health announced early last week that the child had visited multiple public locations in Johnson County while they were contagious, including a Costco, Walmart, and Marshalls. On Thursday, the department said that while three of the child’s household members contracted the disease, additional public exposures are not expected.

All the individuals are currently stable at their home, the department said.

There have now been six reported cases of measles in the state this year. The last time Iowa identified a case of measles was in 2019 with two separate cases.

Measles is a highly contagious disease that spreads through the air. Symptoms typically appear about 7-21 days after infection and include:

• Cough
• Runny nose
• Red, watery eyes
• Nasal congestion
• Fever
• Rash
• Koplik spots

If you think you have been exposed to or have measles, isolate yourself and call your healthcare provider. Iowa HHS says not to arrive at a medical facility without giving advance notice. HHS also says that the most effective method of preventing measles is the MMR vaccine.

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