Seven cases of measles have been confirmed in Johnson and Miami Counties; six linked to a daycare in Johnson County, with one in Miami County unrelated to the daycare (see the Kansas Department of Health and Environment news release).

According to Dr. Dana Hawkinson, an infectious disease specialist at the University of Kansas Health System, here’s what you need to know:

Measles is highly contagious and is spread through the air by breathing, coughing or sneezing. The signs and symptoms of measles typically begin one to two weeks after someone is exposed to an infected person.

Symptoms include:

• Fever
• Blotchy rash on the skin, which spreads from the head to the trunk then to the lower extremities. (Measles can be spread to others from four days before to four days after the rash appears.)
• Cough
• Runny nose
• Red, watery eyes (conjunctivitis)
• Feeling run down, achy
• Tiny white spots with bluish-white centers found inside the mouth

Dr. Hawkinson has more in the video.