Health Officials Investigating Cascade County Measles Case
By Micah Drew, Daily Montanan
Public health officials in Cascade County confirmed the first case of measles in the county, according to a Wednesday announcement by the City-County Health Department, marking the state’s 26th case this year.
The department is investigating a single case of measles in a reportedly vaccinated adult residing in Cascade County, though the county has not yet confirmed the vaccination status.
As of Thursday afternoon, the health department had released a list of possible exposure locations in Great Falls between July 6 and July 15. The locations include Walmart on July 6-9, and July 14-15; Rib and Chop House on July 12; and the Great Falls Clinic Walk-in at 3000 15th Avenue on July 12. The times listed on the table include the period when exposure occured and two hours after, which is how long the measles virus can remain airborn.
Health officials ask anyone who may have been at a listed location, on the dates and times shown on the published table, to monitor for symptoms for 21 days, and reminded everyone to not enter a medical facility with possible measles symptoms — instead call ahead using phone numbers posted on a facility’s entry door.
According to the Department of Health and Human Services, Montana has reported 26 measles cases this year, after seeing no cases of the disease from 1990 to 2025.
Infections have been reported in Cascade, Flathead, Hill, Yellowstone and Gallatin counties, with the majority of cases clustered in the Bozeman area this spring.
Measles is a highly infectious airborne disease that spreads when an infected individual coughs, sneezes or talks. Measles can also be spread through touching contaminated surfaces and then touching the mouth, nose or eyes. Symptoms typically begin with a fever, cough, runny nose, red eyes, white spots in the mouth and a red rash that appears about 14 days after exposure. The rash usually starts on the face and spreads downward to the rest of the body.
Individuals who are immune to measles through vaccination, laboratory evidence of immunity, laboratory confirmation of disease, or were born before 1957 are not considered at risk for infection. Individuals without prior measles infection or vaccination have a 90% likelihood of contracting the disease if exposed.
If you are unsure of your vaccination status, here are a few places you can review:
Call your old high school, college, or university and ask if they have vaccination records.
Contact your doctor’s office, urgent care, or pediatrician. Even if you have not been there in years, they may still have records.
Reach out to the health department where you grew up.
Check your home state immunization registries.
A measles infection is particularly dangerous for infants for whom vaccination is generally not recommended until 12 months of age. Maintaining a high level of vaccination in the community helps protect infants who are too young to be vaccinated, as well as individuals who cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons.
Measles continues to be prevalent in many regions worldwide, resulting in an estimated 300 deaths every day. Cases in the U.S. are generally rare but have been increasing in recent years.
The best way to protect against measles is vaccination. No changes have been made to the existing measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine recommendations in the United States. Two doses of MMR, a measles-containing vaccine that protects against measles, mumps and rubella, are 97% to 99% effective in preventing measles. Measles vaccines have been available in the U.S. since 1963, and two doses have been recommended for children since 1989.
If you are in need of the MMR vaccine, please call your primary care physician as soon as possible.
For more information about measles and the measles vaccine, visit the state health department’s website. Additional information can also be found on the CDC’s website.