Monroe County Department of Public Health alerts community after potential measles exposure at Rochester train station

Monroe County, New York – The Monroe County Department of Public Health is warning members of the community about a potential measles exposure after a person who later tested positive for the disease traveled through the Louise M. Slaughter Rochester Train Station on Saturday, Aug. 29.

The individual passed through the station at 320 Central Avenue while traveling to another destination and is not a resident of Monroe County. Health officials are notifying the public so anyone who may have been at the station during the potential exposure period can watch for symptoms and take appropriate precautions.

Measles is a highly contagious respiratory illness caused by a virus. It spreads through direct contact with nasal or throat secretions from an infected person. Despite the warning, the health department said the overall risk of becoming ill is considered low because many people in the community are already protected through vaccination or previous infection.

People who are immune to measles are unlikely to become sick after being exposed. However, certain groups face a higher risk of serious illness or infection. They include pregnant women, people with weakened immune systems, infants and adults who have not been vaccinated or who have never had measles.

Health officials are asking anyone who entered the Rochester train station on Aug. 29 to remain alert for symptoms through Saturday, Sept. 19, 2026. The monitoring period reflects the time it can take for measles symptoms to develop following exposure.

Symptoms typically begin about 10 to 12 days after exposure, although they can take as long as 21 days to appear. The illness generally develops in two stages.

During the first stage, which usually lasts between two and four days, a person may develop a runny nose, cough and a mild fever. The eyes can become red and sensitive to light. As the illness progresses, the fever may rise each day and can reach between 103 and 105 degrees Fahrenheit.

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Small bluish-white spots surrounded by a reddish area may also develop inside the mouth. These symptoms can appear before the characteristic measles rash.

The second stage generally begins between the third and seventh day of illness. At that point, a red, blotchy rash develops and typically lasts five to six days. The rash often starts on the face before spreading downward and outward to other parts of the body, eventually reaching the hands and feet.

As the illness improves, the rash usually disappears in the same general order in which it appeared, beginning at the head and moving toward the extremities.

Measles can be particularly difficult to contain because infected people can spread the virus before they realize they are sick. A person can transmit measles from four days before the rash appears through four days after the rash begins.

Although measles is often associated with childhood, health officials note that people can contract the disease at any age if they are not immune.

Anyone who was at the train station on Aug. 29 and does not know their vaccination history is being advised to contact a health care provider or the health department to determine what steps should be taken.

People who develop symptoms should seek medical attention promptly, but they should take precautions before arriving at a medical facility. The health department advises people to call their health care provider or an emergency department before seeking care in person. This allows medical staff to prepare and helps reduce the possibility of exposing other patients and workers.

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Those who become ill should also stay away from work, school and other public places. Anyone who believes they may have been exposed and becomes sick should notify their local health department about the possible measles exposure.

Monroe County residents can contact the Monroe County Department of Public Health at 585-753-5555. People who live outside Monroe County should contact the local health department in the county where they live.

Vaccination remains the strongest protection against measles. Health officials recommend two doses of the measles, mumps and rubella, or MMR, vaccine for protection against the disease.

The public health alert is intended to help people recognize possible symptoms early and take steps to prevent further spread. While officials consider the risk from this particular exposure to be low, monitoring remains important because measles can spread easily among people who are not immune.

More information about measles, symptoms, vaccination and public health guidance is available through the Monroe County Department of Public Health and the New York State Department of Health.