By Marla Jones, Managing Editor • marla@southerntorch.com

DeKALB COUNTY, Ala. — The Tennessee Department of Health reported to the Alabama Department of Health that a person infected with the measles virus may have exposed residents of DeKalb County to the virus while traveling through this month.

The infected person stopped at a local restauarant on Thursday, April 11. 

Residents of DeKalb County and other areas are encouraged to check their vaccine history for the following vaccinations: measles, mumps and rubella (MMR). 

A single case of measles will infect up to 95 percent of unvaccinated people who are exposed. A measles vaccine given to an unvaccinated person within 72 hours can possibly prevent the disease from spreading. 

Symptoms of measles include high fever, cough, runny nose, red or watery eyes, tiny white spots appear inside of the mouth, among others. 

Measles is a very contagious disease to those who are unvaccinated and may live up to two hours in the air or on surfaces that an infected person coughs or sneezes on.