An out-of-town visitor tested positive for measles after staying at the Hyatt Regency on West Fifth Street downtown and visiting Morton's Steakhouse on Vine Street for takeout, both in Cincinnati. The health department advises that guests, staff, or visitors to these locations between 9 p.m. and 11 p.m. on April 10th could have been exposed to measles.
The visitor arrived in Cincinnati from Chicago via CVG airport and used a Lyft for transportation.
Measles is a highly contagious viral infection that can cause fever, cough, runny nose, watery eyes, and a rash beginning three to five days after symptoms occur. Symptoms may include high fever, coughing, runny nose or congestion, red eyes (conjunctivitis), and a rash made up of large flat blotches that often flow together.
The Cincinnati Health Department urges anyone who was at the Hyatt Regency or Morton's Steakhouse during those hours and develops symptoms to contact their doctor for testing and isolation. The health department also recommends checking immunity status, as immunity is reliably conferred by the MMR vaccine.
The last reported measles case in Cincinnati was from an out-of-towner who attended the Disney on Ice show at Heritage Bank Center on March 8. As of Thursday, there were 121 measles cases across 18 jurisdictions in the US in 2024.
The risk for those who have been vaccinated for measles or had measles in the past is very low. The health department emphasizes that it's important to be up-to-date with important vaccines to minimize the risk of preventable viral infections.
