State and Lake County public health officials confirmed a measles case in a Leadville-area child on April 22, bringing Colorado’s 2026 total to 17 confirmed cases across six counties — a count the state did not reach in all of 2025 until late July.
The child had not received the MMR vaccine and had traveled to a state with recent measles cases, according to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. It is the first confirmed case in Lake County this year.
Anyone present at three Leadville locations during a five-day window in late April may have been exposed. The Mineral 1886 Restaurant at 700 Harrison Avenue was a potential exposure site April 17 and 18 from 5 to 11 p.m. and April 19 from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Lake County High School at 1000 W. 4th Street was identified for April 20 from 7:35 a.m. to 5:45 p.m. St. Vincent Hospital’s Emergency Department at 816 W. 4th Street was listed for April 21 from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Anyone at those locations during those times should watch for symptoms through May 12. CDPHE will add locations to its exposures page as they are confirmed.
Lake County Public Health Director Kelsy Maxie urged residents to act. “Measles is highly contagious and can lead to very serious health complications and potentially death, even in very healthy people,” Maxie said. “Public health in a small rural community is a group effort, and we strongly urge anyone who has not received their MMR vaccine to make a vaccination appointment as quickly as possible.” The week of April 27, CDPHE sent outreach directly to families of Lake County children ages 12 months through 18 years whose records show they are overdue for the MMR vaccine.
The case follows confirmed infections in Saguache, Adams, Weld, Broomfield, and Arapahoe counties earlier this year. A Saguache County infant contracted the disease in late March after a clinic visit in Chaffee County. Saguache Public Health Director Mona Lovato told county commissioners the family drove straight to the clinic and back without stopping, and the baby recovered. A charter school in Saguache County reported 25 percent MMR vaccination at the time, with the remaining students holding exemptions that count as compliant under state reporting rules.
Colorado recorded 36 confirmed measles cases in all of 2025. The state has reached 17 cases before May with more than half the year remaining. Nationally, the CDC confirmed 1,814 cases as of April 30 across 37 states, with 24 outbreaks reported in 2026.
Measles symptoms begin with fever, cough, runny nose, and red eyes, followed by a rash that starts on the face and spreads. Anyone who develops symptoms should call a health provider, urgent care, or emergency department before going in. CDPHE can be reached at 720-653-3369.
—
YOAST SEO FIELDS
Focus Keyword:
Meta Description: (155 characters)
Slug:
—
Support Independent Local Journalism — High Country Advocate was created as a real alternative to regional media that too often silences dissenting voices while taking sides in the political struggle. Producing in-depth, unflinching reporting like this series and others is expensive: servers, editing, research time, and legal review all add up quickly. If these articles have informed you or given you new perspective, please consider supporting HCA with a paid subscription — every subscriber helps keep this reporting strong and independent. 