Polk County confirms measles case and lists Des Moines-area exposure sites

Polk County health officials have confirmed a measles case in a vaccinated county resident who recently traveled internationally, issuing a public notice that identifies potential exposure locations in Des Moines and elsewhere in Polk County.

The Polk County Health Department said the exposure windows listed in its notice run from July 1 through July 5, 2026. The department directed people who were at a listed location during the specified times to complete its exposure survey.

The notice includes Des Moines-area locations such as MercyOne Des Moines Pediatrics Urgent Care, MercyOne Des Moines Imaging, Dollar General on East Ovid Avenue and Family Dollar on University Avenue. Iowa Clinic Urgent Care was also identified among the potential exposure locations.

Who should monitor for symptoms

People who were potentially exposed and have received two doses of MMR vaccine, or who have had measles previously, were told to monitor for symptoms for 21 days after their potential exposure.

The county’s instructions are part of its response to a confirmed case and possible exposures at the listed public locations. Being present at one of those sites does not by itself establish that a person was infected.

The Health Department did not state in the notice whether any secondary cases had been identified. It also did not provide the resident’s age or the destination of the recent international travel.

Why the exposure notice matters

Measles can spread through the air, according to the Health Department. The department said the virus can remain in the air for up to two hours after an infected person leaves an area, which is why the public notice includes defined locations and exposure windows.

County officials described the case as involving a vaccinated Polk County resident, but the notice does not characterize the case as community transmission. The listed sites are locations where potential exposure may have occurred, not confirmed locations of onward infection.

Residents who were at a location during a listed window can use the county’s exposure survey to report that potential exposure and receive the information provided through the public-health response. The department’s 21-day monitoring instruction is tied to the date of a person’s possible exposure, rather than a single countywide deadline.

The information was released July 9 by the Polk County Health Department. The department’s notice provides the county’s current list of potential exposure locations and its guidance for people who may have been present.