Measles case confirmed in Denver-area visitor — exposure sites you need to know

The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment is urging people to check their recent whereabouts after confirming a measles case in an international visitor who traveled through the Denver metro area earlier this month. The visitor, whose vaccination status is unknown, spent time in Boulder, Westminster and Lafayette between Sept. 8 and Sept. 11, hitting up spots like Avanti Food and Beverage on Pearl Street, Gelato Boy West End, Pearl Street Mall, the Denver Gem and Mineral Show at the Westin Hotel Westminster and the Good Samaritan Hospital Emergency Department in Lafayette.

If any of those locations ring a bell, health officials say to watch for symptoms that start with fever, cough, runny nose and red eyes, followed by a rash that typically begins on the face and spreads down the body. Measles is highly contagious — and with the school year now in full swing, officials aren’t taking any chances. If you think you may have been exposed, the big ask is simple: call before you show up to a doctor’s office or ER so staff can take precautions to protect other patients.

The state is keeping a running list of confirmed exposure locations on the CDPHE measles webpage, so it’s worth bookmarking that page in case new sites are added. And if it’s been a while since you thought about your vaccination status, this is probably a pretty good nudge to double-check.