Who may have been exposed to the measles case in Sedgwick County? What we know
The Sedgwick County Health Department is asking anyone who may have been at a Wichita butcher shop the evening of April 29 to monitor themselves after a possible exposure to measles.
At a Wednesday afternoon news conference, officials said anyone who visited Carnicerías El Güero grocery store No. 1 at 524 W. 21st St. in Wichita Tuesday, April 29 between 6:30 to 10 p.m. to monitor themselves for symptoms of the virus.
The news comes as officials confirmed Wednesday morning Sedgwick County has its first case of the measles since 2017, joining more than 40 cases across the state of Kansas.
The case, in an unidentified, unvaccinated child between 5 and 10 years old, originated outside of Sedgwick County. The health department worked with the family Tuesday night and Wednesday morning to verify possible places others may have been exposed.
“At this point, we’re really confident that we know the locations. The other people that may have been exposed were people that they knew,” Adrienne Byrne, the director of the Sedgwick County Health Department, said at the news conference.
Early symptoms of measles are similar to other viruses — a fever, cough, sore throat and runny nose — but measles also comes with a rash that begins on the face and moves downward to the neck, chest and back. Measles is an airborne virus and can live in the air up to two hours after the infected person leaves, which makes it more contagious than many other viruses.
When asked about how concerned the county is that this case may result in others, Byrne said the outcome depends on how many exposed individuals were properly vaccinated.
“It depends upon how many unvaccinated people they were around, because it is highly, highly contagious,” Byrne said.
When asked if the child was enrolled in any local school districts, Byrne said officials did not have that information available. Byrne also said they didn’t have information on how serious the case is at this time.
Anyone who develops symptoms of measles is being asked to contact their health care provider instead of visiting an emergency room. This helps limit the risk of spreading the virus to others.
If you do not have a health care provider, you are asked to call a community health center in Sedgwick County and then also call the county’s measles hotline at 316-660-5558.
People most at risk of contracting serious cases of the virus are unvaccinated individuals, pregnant women and those with compromised immune systems.
There are currently more than 900 cases of measles across the U.S. as of May 1, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. There have been three confirmed deaths.
The last time Sedgwick County saw a measles case was in 2017, and the single case confirmed Wednesday is considered an outbreak, officials said.
Should I receive an updated vaccine?
Most people who have received the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine at any point in their life don’t have to worry about getting an updated one, as both doses of the vaccine are 97% effective. Just one dose is 93% effective.
Additionally, those born before 1957 are considered immune to the virus, Byrne said at the press conference, because they’ve most likely either been infected or exposed to the virus in the past. However, those who received the original vaccine from 1957 to 1967 can get an updated shot, as that version was not as effective as the current one.
While children usually aren’t recommended to get vaccinated until their first birthday, they can now get the MMR vaccine as young as 6 months old in Sedgwick County due to the outbreak. That’s also true for children who have been exposed or have traveled to an area with a measles outbreak.
You can get the measles vaccine from your primary care physician or by setting an appointment with the health department, which gives the MMR vaccine at its 2716 W. Central location.
Dillons pharmacies also give MMR vaccines, as well as immunity tests for those who are unsure if they’ve been vaccinated. The pharmacies are open seven days a week, and no appointment is needed.
This story was originally published May 7, 2025 at 3:39 PM.
