A case of measles has been confirmed at a migrant facility in Chicago where a five-year-old child died of an unknown illness in December.
The young child who was infected has now recovered, but it is not clear how many of the 1,876 migrants living in the shelter were exposed.
“Right now, with this potential exposure to a rapidly spreading virus such as measles, it’s critical to have an isolation plan,” said Chicago Alderman Byron Sigcho-Lopez, who represents the neighborhood where the shelter is located.
“People need to be in isolation while they are being tested and will learn more of the assessment while people are sheltering in place, and we will wait for the results of the tests,” Sigcho-Lopez.
Chicago city health officials are asking all shelter residents to remain in place until it can be determined whether migrants are vaccinated against measles and immune to the disease.
“This is, unfortunately, a process that is too long when you have 1,800 people (in the shelter),” Sigcho-Lopez said. “I recognize the process that has been made, but given how quickly this virus is spreading, we need to get people isolated.”
In an email to parents, Chicago Public Schools officials said that they would be on the lookout for students from the shelter who were accompanied by a parent and they would be told that their child would not be permitted to attend classes.
