Iowans are being warned that a confirmed case of measles exposed others to the disease.

According to the Iowa Department of Public Health, they were informed by the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services that a confirmed measles case was in Des Moines and Ankeny. The infectious individual from Missouri traveled through Iowa and visited the Hardees on Merle Hay Road in Des Moines from 8:15 to 11:45 a.m. April 13th and the Panera Bread on Delaware Avenue in Ankeny on April 16th from noon to 4 p.m.

Washington County Public Health Administrator Danielle Pettit-Majewski explains that measles is highly contagious, “The reason that we have the timeframes for those dates, most people don’t spend three-and-a-half hours in a Hardees, but when you are in a building or in a space, two hours after you leave that space you are still contagious, people can still be exposed. So, even if you didn’t come into contact with the actual case you can still get measles if you do not have the immune response built up in your body. ” Measles is spread through the air, and can have serious health concerns and can lead to pneumonia, swelling of the brain, middle ear infections which can cause deafness, diarrhea, and death.

If you have any symptoms, or were at those locations, call your health care provider to make arrangements. Do not go to the doctor’s office, emergency room, clinic, or local public health agency to prevent any further spread of the disease. Symptoms of measles include fever, cough, red eyes, runny nose, and a rash. If you were at the places during the times listed stay home until arrangements are made with your health care provider; do not go to public places. Pettit-Majewski adds the best way to prevent getting measles is to receive both doses of the MMR vaccine, which can first be administered at 12 months of age.