Colorado confirms third measles case out of southern Colorado, raising concerns of community transmission

ARCHULETA COUNTY, Colo. (KRDO) –On Tuesday, state health officials confirmed a case of measles in an adult with an unknown vaccination history living in Archuleta County – the third case reported in Colorado this year.

Archuleta County, located in southern Colorado, sits along the New Mexico border and includes Pagosa Springs. According to CDPHE, a person in the county was contagious from March 26 to April 3, and sought medical care at a local clinic on March 31.

The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) said current evidence suggests the new case is not linked to the other reported measles cases out of Pueblo and Denver, which involved an unvaccinated adult and an unvaccinated infant, both of whom had recently traveled internationally.

READ MORE: Pueblo resident contracts measles, marking first case in Colorado since 2023

Unlike the prior cases, health officials say the individual had not recently traveled out of the state, raising concerns for transmission in the community.

"This case does not appear to be linked to the other cases reported in Colorado and the individual did not travel outside of Colorado, which leaves open the possibility of community transmission," CDPHE state epidemiologist and deputy chief medical officer Rachel Herlihy said.

Potential exposure locations in Archuleta County:

• Wolf Creek Ski Area and Resort – March 28–30 (all day)
• Pagosa Medical Group – March 31 (9:05 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.) and April 2 (3:45–6 p.m.)
• City Market on 165 Country Center Dr. – March 31 (10 a.m. to 12:45 p.m.)

Measles is considered highly contagious. Symptoms include fever, cough, runny nose, red eyes, and a rash that often starts on the face and spreads.

Though measles can often be severe, it is preventable, state health officials say. According to CDPHE, the MMR vaccine remains the best protection against measles; two doses of MMR vaccine are about 97% effective in preventing the disease.

"We urge Coloradans to monitor for symptoms if they may have been exposed, and to make sure they are up to date on their MMR vaccinations," Herlihy said.

Coloradans can check their or their child’s immunization records through the Colorado Immunization Information System (CIIS) Public Portal.