Officials from Illinois' Department of Public Health confirmed that a local resident from Cook County has been infected by the measles disease, the Associated Press reported.
Authorities noted that the infection is the first reported case in Illinois for this year.
The state agency said that it is currently coordinating with the county's own public health department to identify residents who may have been exposed to the contagious disease.
Nirav Shah, the director of the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH), emphasized the importance of vaccinations to protect the public and prevent a state-wide outbreak.
Officials from the IDPH reported that possible exposures to the disease may have occurred at the Supermercado Guzman from Jan. 12 to Jan. 13, the emergency room of the Northwest Community Hospital from Jan. 14 to Jan. 17 and at Palatine's Rand Road on Jan. 16, the Chicago Tribune has learned.
According to the health department, those who have not yet been vaccinated for measles and exposed to the virus should not visit their local hospitals. Officials fear doing so could expose more people to the disease.
"A person with no immunity can become infected simply by being in the same room with someone who has the disease," medical officer Dr. Rachel Rubin of the Cook County health department said in a press release.
"To eliminate the potential spread of the disease, it is imperative that we notify the public of any possible exposures to residents," she added.
The Cook County Department of Public Healthy strongly advises those who contracted the disease to immediately notify the agency and their health care provider.
Health officials are still investigating if the confirmed measles case in Illinois is connected to the outbreak linked to Disneyland.
The disease, which originated from the famous theme park, started to spread last month. According to the California Health Department, out of the 73 people who contracted measles in the state, 50 are connected to the Disneyland outbreak, NY Daily News reported.
