South Dakota sees year's first measles case
Black Hills resident had traveled internationally; visited health facilities while infected
South Dakota health officials have confirmed the state’s first measles case of 2025, involving an adult resident of Meade County who contracted the disease after traveling internationally, the Department of Health announced Thursday.
The infected individual visited multiple public locations while potentially contagious, prompting officials to urge others who may have been exposed to monitor for symptoms.
Possible exposure locations include:
Rapid City Medical Center Urgent Care, 2820 Mt. Rushmore Road, Rapid City, on May 28 from 7:15 a.m. to 10 a.m. (Mountain Time)
Monument Health Sturgis Urgent Care, 2140 Junction Ave, Sturgis, on May 29 from 9:45 a.m. to 3 p.m. (MT)
People who were present at either location during those times are advised to self-monitor for 21 days, watching for symptoms of measles.
Measles typically appears in two stages, according to health officials. Early symptoms include a cough, runny nose, light sensitivity, and a low-grade fever that steadily rises. Within three to seven days, the patient may develop a high fever — between 103 and 105 degrees Fahrenheit — and a red, blotchy rash that begins on the face before spreading to the rest of the body.
“Measles is a highly contagious viral disease and spreads through the air from an infected person,” said Dr. Joshua Clayton, the state epidemiologist. “Individuals who lack immunity from vaccination or past infection are at high risk of measles infection if they have contact with an infected person.”
The Department of Health emphasized that the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine remains the most effective way to prevent infection. Two doses of the vaccine are typically administered during early childhood and are considered to provide lifelong immunity.
Health officials say individuals are generally considered immune to measles if they were born before 1957, have had two doses of the MMR vaccine, or have documented immunity through a lab test or previous infection.
The announcement comes at a time when vaccine safety and efficacy continue to be prominent in public health discussions across the U.S. In recent years, a rise in vaccine hesitancy has coincided with an uptick in preventable diseases, including measles, in some parts of the country. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, even small declines in vaccination coverage can lead to outbreaks, especially of highly contagious diseases like measles.
