Possible measles exposure at St. Louis airport, Collinsville church

Missouri and Illinois health officials are warning of a possible measles exposure at St. Louis Lambert International Airport and a church in Collinsville.

The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services said a person with measles who lives out of state flew into the airport on a domestic flight earlier this month.

A spokesperson said the individual was in Terminal 2 and the baggage claim area between 5 and 7 p.m. Feb. 7 and later took Parking Spot shuttle No. 3 to a parking area.

Anyone who was on the affected flight is being notified directly.

A spokesperson said the St. Louis Health Department is working with state partners to provide information.

“Measles is not just a routine childhood illness — it is a highly contagious and potentially serious disease,” St. Louis Health Commissioner Victoria Anwuri said in a statement. “Anyone who experiences symptoms should immediately isolate and contact their health care provider.”

Anwuri said anyone with symptoms should contact their provider before seeking care to allow medical personnel to take the proper precautions.

Illinois case

The Illinois Department of Public Health said Tuesday that the same individual with measles may have exposed people at a church in Collinsville.

An IDPH spokesperson confirmed to St. Louis Public Radio that the person with measles who flew into Lambert Airport lives in the Metro East.

Officials are working to identify all the places where that individual may have visited while infectious. One location has been identified so far: Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Collinsville. Health officials said people attending services there between 8 a.m. and 12:15 p.m. Feb. 8 were potentially exposed.

The church has notified members about the exposure, and health officials have given them guidance on how to protect themselves. As Illinois health officials identify additional locations, they said the local health department will notify people directly.

“This first reported case of measles in Illinois in 2026 is a reminder to our Illinois residents that this disease can be prevented with up-to-date vaccination,” Director Sameer Vohra said in a statement. “IDPH is urging clinicians to consider a measles diagnosis in patients with consistent symptoms and alert their local health department immediately if they suspect a case.”

Symptoms and prevention

Health officials advise anyone who may have been exposed, especially those who are unvaccinated, to watch for measles symptoms for three weeks from the time of exposure — in this case, the end of February.

Early measles symptoms include fever, cough, runny nose and irritated eyes.

Flat, red spots characteristic of a measles rash typically appear near the hairline in three to five days after symptoms begin before spreading to the rest of the body.

Measles can cause severe and life-threatening health complications, including pneumonia and inflammation of the brain. Measles is especially dangerous for children and pregnant or immunocompromised adults.

Officials say the most reliable way to prevent getting sick is to receive two doses of a measles vaccine, commonly administered as the MMR vaccine in early childhood. Adults who are unvaccinated can get a “catch-up” vaccination with their provider.

Missouri health officials reported seven confirmed cases of the measles in the state last year – none of them in the St. Louis region. In Illinois, health officials documented 14 cases statewide in 2025.