CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) — Two new cases of measles were confirmed at Pilsen's migrant shelter for new arrivals on Monday, which means the site has now seen four cases of the highly contagious disease, said officials with the Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH).
CDPH also confirmed that the city has seen five measles cases over the past four days.
Health officials said the United States is currently experiencing a resurgence of measles, with 17 states having reported cases.
The two new cases identified at the Pilsen shelter, located on Halsted Street, were both in adults. Officials said the individuals were in stable condition.
The health department said a "citywide response" has been engaged. Over the weekend, CDPH partnered with Cook County Health, Rush University Medical Center and the University of Illinois-Chicago to screen nearly all residents of the Pilsen shelter.
Officials said the effort results in the successful vaccination of over 900 shelter residents with the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine. More than 700 residents were found to already be immune from either a previous vaccination or infection.
Also on Monday, Mayor Brandon Johnson urged Chicagoans to get vaccinated.
"Our public health department was on the ground, particularly at the various shelters, to make sure that we are getting as many people vaccinated as possible, as quickly as possible," he said. "The vast majority of Chicagoans are vaccinated, that's a good thing, but there's still a number of Chicagoans who have not received the vaccine for measles."
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