GREAT FALLS – The propagation of measles in certain parts of Montana continues, with 17 cases confirmed through the state – and now there can be an exposure to measles to Great Falls, according to the City -County Health Department (CCHD) in Great Falls.
The CCHD said that no cases of measles have been confirmed in the residents of the Cascade County at this time, a confirmed exposure event occurred when an infected resident of another county visited a commercial location of Great Falls. Anyone present in the building (or in any company located in the building) during certain hours is considered an exposure to measles.
The CCHD said on Wednesday that a person in the county of Hill came to Great Falls for an appointment on Tuesday May 27 at the Heights Medical Center prospect (near Bloc 1400 in the fourth rue Sud).
Two days later, the person started to feel symptoms of measles.
Abigail Hill, the Health of County Health Manager, explained: “Because measles is airborne, because it has entered this building, the entire building is considered exposed.”
Hill talks about the exposure to measles:
Possible exposure to measles confirmed in large falls
The Ministry of Public Health and Social Services of Montana says that you can get measles simply by being in a room where a person with measles was, even up to two hours after the person’s departure.
The list of exhibition places associated with the person’s visit to Great Falls includes specialists in the Orthopedics of the Central Montana, Sun River Health, Atlas Neurology, the Dr. Susan Avery, Quest Diagnostics and Northwest Physicians.
CCHD guide
If you think you may have been exposed but that you do not receive any notice from the CCHD within several days, you can contact CCHD at 406-791-9242 for instructions. Exposed individuals suffering from alleged immunity (see below) do not need quarantine but should monitor symptoms for 21 days after exposure; People who have no alleged immunity is advised to stay at home for 21 days and monitor symptoms. Anyone exposed to measles should also speak to their health care provider to understand their individual risk of measles and should consider reporting routine medical care at least 21 days after their last exposure.
The first symptoms of measles generally appear about 7 to 14 days after exposure: fever, cough, flowing nose, red eyes and / or white spots in the mouth. A red rash – starting near the hair root and moving down – usually starts about 2-3 days after the first symptoms.
If you are developing symptoms, you should continue to stay at home, except for urgent / emergency tests or treatments. Please call Benefis Health System at 406-731-8300 to organize urgent tests or care. It is extremely important that you do not enter a clinical building without calling to the clinic so that precautions can be taken to avoid exposing others.
You are presumed to have measles immunity if you: have written documentation of adequate vaccines for measles, mumps and rubella (MMR); Or evidence of an immunity laboratory; Or laboratory confirmation of the disease; Or were born before 1957.
If you are not sure of your vaccination status, call CCHD at 406-791-9242 to check your electronic vaccine records from Montana and / or for management on other means of obtaining your files.
For more information, Click here to visit The CCHD website
Measles at Montana
According to the Ministry of Public Health and Social Services of Montana, the 17 cases of measles in the state are the residents of Montana and the newly identified cases are insulating.
The 17 cases were reported in four Montana counties: 10 in Gallatin; three in hill; two in Flathead; and two in Yellowstone. Two of the cases required hospitalization.
Five cases of measles were reported in Gallatin County in April 2025 – The first cases of measles experienced in Montana since 1990.
In County of HillThe three cases were all unvaccinated children, and all were reported in May.
The cases of the county of Yellowstone were an adult and a child – both not vaccinated – who fell ill while traveling outside the country. These cases were confirmed this week by the Yellowstone County Health Agency, who said that the two cases were completely restored and were no longer contagious when they had returned to Yellowstone County.
No details were published on both cases in the county of Flathead.
About measles
DPHHS website::
Measles is a very infectious airborne disease which generally begins with a fever, a cough and a flowing nose, red eyes, white spots in the mouth and a red eruption which appears about 14 days after the exposure. The eruption usually starts on the face and spreads downwards towards the rest of the body.
It is particularly dangerous for infants for which vaccination is generally not recommended before 12 months. Maintaining a high level of vaccination in the community helps protect infants too young to be vaccinated, as well as people who cannot be vaccinated for medical reasons.
Meals continues to be spread in many regions of the world, resulting in around 300 deaths each day. In the United States, cases are generally rare but have increased in recent years.
The best way to protect yourself from measles is vaccination. No modification has been made to the recommendations of the measles vaccine, mumps and rubella (MMR) in the United States. Two doses of MMR, a vaccine containing measles which protects against measles, mumps and rubella, are effective from 97 to 99% to prevent measles. Dnslest vaccines have been available in the United States since 1963 and two doses have been recommended for children since 1989.
The DPHHS also says that measles is very contagious and spreads in the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes. It is so contagious that if a person has, 9 out of 10 people around him will also be infected if they are not protected. The agency says you can get measles just by being in a room where a person with measles was, even up to two hours after the person’s departure.
An infected person can spread measles to others before he even developed symptoms – four days before developing the eruption of measles for four days later.
Across the United States
At the end of May, the federal centers for Disease Control (CDC) reported 1,088 cases distributed in 33 states, including Montana.
This represents only 285 confirmed cases of measles last year and is the largest number of measles cases that our country has seen in six years.
The worst epidemics were in the South Plains region in Texas, where more than 600 cases were reported, most of them in children under 19.
If you fear that you have measles or have been exposed to a person with measles, please contact your County or Tribal Health Department or supplier of primary care before requesting care, if it is sure to do so, for instructions on how to avoid exposing others.
