Updated at 4:58 p.m. on Wednesday, July 23, 2024.
Colorado public health officials confirmed on Tuesday a new case of measles.
It's the state's 16th case this year, according to its online measles dashboard.
This time it's in an out-of-state resident who was in Gunnison County.
The state health department released a pair of potential exposure locations from earlier this month in Gunnison and Almont, which is a small, unincorporated town in the county. One is a trading post in Almont, the other is the Gunnison Valley Health Hospital in Gunnison.
Measles is highly contagious. It can lead to serious health problems. But it is preventable by the MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccine. Symptoms include: fever, cough, runny nose, red eyes, and a notable rash that generally starts a few days later on the face and spreads.
In the years spanning 2014 to 2025, only in 2016 when there were two confirmed cases did the state record more than one case. All the other years it recorded either one or zero cases, according to the dashboard.
Of the 16 cases, most are in unvaccinated people or those with unknown vaccine status. Ten were linked to an out-of state traveler who flew while infectious. Four people have been hospitalized, none has died.
Based on available information, anyone who was in the Taylor Park Trading Post in Almont, Saturday, July 12, 4-7 p.m. or Gunnison Valley Health Hospital Wednesday, July 16-17, 3 p.m. - 10 a.m., may have been exposed to measles. They should monitor for symptoms for 21 days after exposure and think about avoiding public gatherings or high-risk settings, according to the press release from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.
The agency said monitoring for symptoms is especially important for people who have not been vaccinated with the MMR vaccine. MMR vaccine, given within 72 hours after exposure, can prevent or reduce the severity of infection. Immunoglobulin (IG), if administered within six days of exposure, may also be used in some circumstances. Locations will be updated, as necessary, the release said.
As of July 25, 2025, the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has recorded 1,309 confirmed measles cases in the U.S. for the year, reported in 40 states. There have been 29 outbreaks (defined as three or more related cases) reported, with 88 percent of cases associated with an outbreak. Three people have died; in 13 percent of cases, the person was hospitalized. In the vast majority of cases, 92 percent, the person was unvaccinated or had unknown vaccine status.
The CDPHE measles webpage includes information about symptoms, transmission, and vaccine recommendations, 2025 Colorado measles case information, and a current list of exposure locations.
