PUEBLO — A third location has been identified where people may have been exposed to the measles virus in Pueblo.
The Pueblo Department of Public Health and Environment (PDPHE) said the new location is the south side Walmart, which is located on West Northern Avenue.
The exposure was the highest for people who were in or near the pharmacy on Saturday, March 22 from 2:30 p.m. to 5 p.m.
The other locations for potential exposure were the Southwest Deli and Cafe on Pueblo Boulevard from Monday, March 17 through Friday, March 21, and the Southern Colorado Clinic in Pueblo West on Saturday, March 22 from 1:30 p.m. from 4:30 p.m..
This comes after PDPHE confirmed Monday an unvaccinated adult man had the measles.
WATCH: Measles case confirmed in Pueblo, first in Colorado since 2023
PDHPE reports the man had recently traveled to an area of Mexico experiencing a measles outbreak. One mom in Pueblo is taking precautions to keep her children safe.
Daneya Esgar has a son who is about to turn eight months old. Children that age are too young to get the measles vaccine.
“Measles is a scary disease,” said Esgar.
The CDC recommends all children get two doses of the Measles-Mumps-Rubella (MMR) vaccine. The first one can be administered at 12-15 months. The second dose is typically given from ages four to six.
“You know that your child is not going to be protected because they're not of the age to be able to get the vaccine yet. So, you just start scrambling in your mind, do we stay inside? Do we not take them anywhere? What do we do? How do we keep them safe? And it just really reminded me a lot of COVID and being on lockdown again,” said Esgar.
When Esgar heard a case of measles was confirmed in Pueblo, she began taking precautions.
“I think, as a parent who wants to do anything to keep their children safe, the idea of either secluding him, keeping him away from everybody, possibly getting him an early vaccine, all of the options were on the table to figure out how to keep him safe,” said Esgar.
She said they are spending more time at home and are avoiding public places.
“Every mother's worst nightmare, every parent's worst nightmare, is something happening to your child that you can't fix, that you can't do anything about,” said Esgar.
Her son was born premature and spent several days in the NICU at Parkview Hospital in Pueblo.
“We're already on high alert about making sure that we're taking care of their immune system. And now there's a case here in Pueblo. If he got measles, what would that mean for him and his immune system? And it's a scary thought to think about, what could happen to him,” said Esgar.
Esgar checked in with her children's pediatrician and recommended others do the same. Pediatricians recommend the following:
- parents avoid areas with known outbreaks and people who are sick
- limit baby's exposure
- continue to wash your hands frequently.
Measles symptoms include the following:
- fever
- cough
- runny nose
- red eyes
- a rash that usually starts several days later on the face and spreads.
If you develop symptoms, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CPHE) said you should immediately call your health provider.
CDPHE said anyone who was at those locations during the dates listed may have been exposed and should monitor for symptoms for 21 days.
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