Officials Warn Of Possible Measles Exposure in South Dakota

As the number of measles cases continues to skyrocket across the country, health officials in South Dakota are warning of a possible exposure in the state.

The Department of Health is notifying the public of a potential measles exposure at Rapid City Regional Airport, where a Butte County resident with a confirmed measles infection was present at the airport while infectious.

The potential exposure took place Wednesday, December 10, between 10:45 AM and 12:45 PM Mountain Time.

Officials advise that anyone who was at the airport during that time to self-monitor for symptoms for 21 days following the exposure date (December 17 to December 31).

Symptoms typically appear in two stages.

Stage One (Days 1-2):

Runny Nose
Cough
Slight Fever at first, each day
Red Eyes, Sensitive to Light

Stage Two (Days 3-7):

High Fever (103-105°F)
Red Blotchy Rash Lasting 4-7 Days

So far in 2025, there have been 15 confirmed measles cases in South Dakota, with more than half of those (8) coming from Lincoln County. Ten of the 15 cases were reported in June.

Of the 15 confirmed cases in South Dakota, 13 involved people who had not received a measles vaccination.

Nationally, the number of measles cases is up substantially in 2025. After an all-time low 13 cases during the height of COVID in 2020, there have been steady increases ever since 2023, including a nearly 700 percent increase from last year to this year:

2023: 59 Cases
2024: 285 Cases
2025: 1,912 Cases