Possible measles exposure at Busch Stadium, local St. Louis-area businesses, officials warn
A general view of Busch Stadium, June 25, 2026, in St Louis, Missouri. (Joe Puetz/Getty Images)
(NEW YORK) — Missouri health officials are warning of a possible measles exposure at Busch Stadium and nearby local businesses in St. Louis and the larger county.
The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (MDHSS) said the possible exposures occurred between Sept. 12 and Sept. 14 and included local bars, a cafe, a restaurant, a sandwich shop, a grocery store and a convenience store.
The health department said exposed individuals should monitor for measles symptoms for 21 days starting from the date of exposure.
If symptoms appear, individuals are recommended to contact their local public health agency. Additionally, those who think they have measles should isolate themselves and call their healthcare provider before arriving to be tested.
The MDHSS did not immediately respond to an ABC News request for comment on the possible exposures.
Earlier this month, MDHSS announced a possible measles exposure at a train station in Sedalia, Missouri, after a vaccinated individual boarded a Chicago-bound train on Aug. 27.
About a week later, the St. Louis County Department of Public Health said a second individual who boarded the train on Aug. 27 was confirmed to have measles. The second individual was fully vaccinated and is the first case of measles in a county resident in 20 years, according to DPH.
The potential measles exposures at Busch Stadium and the St. Louis region is the third case linked to “train exposure in Missouri,” the health department said.
“Vaccination is one of the most effective ways to protect ourselves, our families and our community from measles,” Dr. Kanika Cunningham, director of the Saint Louis County Department of Public Health, said in a statement. “We encourage residents to review their vaccination status, monitor for symptoms and contact their healthcare provider before seeking care if they believe they may have been exposed.”
Measles cases in the U.S. have surpassed 3,400 so far in 2026 with cases confirmed in 45 states and Washington, D.C., according to the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The CDC currently recommends that people receive two doses of the measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccine, the first at ages 12 to 15 months and the second between 4 and 6 years old. One dose is 93% effective against preventing measles infection and two doses are 97% effective, the CDC says.
However, CDC data shows vaccination rates have been lagging in recent years. During the 2025 to 2026 school year, 92.4% of kindergartners received the MMR vaccine, according to data. This is lower than the 95.2% seen in the 2019 to 2020 school year, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Measles cases in Pennsylvania have surpassed 1,000 so far this year as the state continues to battle an outbreak of the virus.
Monday’s update from the Pennsylvania Department of Health (DOH) brings the total number of 2026 measles cases in the state to 1,004 across 39 counties.
At least 198 people have been hospitalized, and five measles-associated deaths have been reported, DOH data shows.
Two of the deaths were among unvaccinated adults: an 18-year-old and a 40-year-old. The other two deaths were among infants who were too young to have received the measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccine.
The fifth death occurred in an unvaccinated resident of Lancaster County, in southeastern Pennsylvania, but it is unclear how old the individual is. Lancaster County is the epicenter of the state’s outbreak, with 391 cases confirmed so far.
Fewer than 1% of the state’s cases are among those who are fully vaccinated with the MMR vaccine, according to DOH.
Last week, following confirmation of the fifth death by the Pennsylvania health department, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) told ABC News in a statement it was “deeply saddened to hear of another death” in the state.
“Under Secretary [Robert F.] Kennedy’s leadership, CDC has mounted an aggressive response to measles outbreaks across the country. Texas, South Carolina, Virginia, Kansas, New Mexico, and Wisconsin requested CDC Epi-Aids and worked alongside federal teams to help bring their outbreaks rapidly and successfully under control,” the statement read.
“CDC has not received a formal Epi-Aid request from Pennsylvania. If requested, CDC stands ready to deploy epidemiologists to support the state’s identified needs,” the statement continued.
A CDC Epi-Aid is a rapid, short-term field investigation from the federal health agency of an “urgent public health problem.” The Epi-Aid provides resources such as, but not limited to, increasing the workforce available for rapid response and building epidemiologic capacity, according to the CDC.
Meanwhile, measles cases in the U.S. have surpassed 3,800 so far in 2026, with cases confirmed in 45 states and Washington, D.C., according to the latest data from the CDC.
The CDC currently recommends that people receive two doses of the MMR vaccine, the first at ages 12 to 15 months and the second between 4 and 6 years old. One dose is 93% effective in preventing measles infection and two doses are 97% effective, the CDC says.
Infants aged 6 to 11 months living in or traveling to high-risk outbreak areas may receive an early, extra third dose of the MMR vaccine.
However, CDC data shows vaccination rates have been lagging in recent years. During the 2025 to 2026 school year, 92.4% of kindergartners received the MMR vaccine, according to data. This is lower than the 95.2% seen in the 2019 to 2020 school year, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.
In Pennsylvania, more than 8,800 doses of the MMR vaccine have been administered by DOH staff. Of those doses, about 3,500 were administered in August and more than 2,500 were administered in September.
ABC News’ Youri Benadjaoud contributed to this report.
(NEW YORK) — Louisiana health officials on Thursday urged residents to take precautions following an uptick in severe cases of a type of dangerous flesh-eating bacteria Vibrio vulnificus.
So far this year, the state has reported nine cases, five of them fatal. During the same period in previous years, Louisiana averaged seven cases and one death.
The Louisiana Department of Health said all nine cases reported this year were linked to wounds exposed to seawater and that all of the patients had underlying health conditions.
“Vibrio bacteria occur naturally in warm coastal waters and are found in higher numbers from May to October, when water temperatures are warmer. Infection can occur when an open wound is exposed to brackish or salt water or when a person eats raw or undercooked seafood, particularly oysters,” the Louisiana Department of Health said in a statement.
Vibrio infection can result in gastrointestinal illness, wound infection, or blood poisoning, officials said.
“Some species, including Vibrio vulnificus, can cause severe and life-threatening infections. People with severe infections may require intensive care or limb amputation,” health officials added. “About one in five people with Vibrio vulnificus infection dies, sometimes within a day or two of becoming ill.”
Authorities said that people should seek medical care “immediately if a wound exposed to brackish or salt water becomes red, swollen, painful, warm, or discolored,” and that the health care provider should be told about water exposure.
A doctor wipes a staff member’s arm with disinfectant. (Photo by Katharina Kausche/picture alliance via Getty Images)
As the weather turns colder, it also means respiratory virus season is upon the United States.
In its annual outlook report, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said it expects the 2026-27 respiratory virus season to have a similar number of peak hospitalizations from influenza, COVID-19 and RSV compared to last season.
Public health specialists told ABC News the best way for people to protect themselves against these viruses is to get vaccinated.
Flu vaccine
The CDC currently recommends that people aged 6 months and older receive an annual flu vaccine.
The seasonal flu vaccine protects against three viruses predicted to circulate during flu season: Type A (H1N1) virus, Type A(H3N2) virus, and Type B/Victoria virus
“Obviously, we target high-risk groups, so those would be older adults, so over the age of 50, people with chronic medical conditions, individuals who are immunocompromised, individuals that have obesity, or persons who are pregnant or wanting to get pregnant, and healthcare personnel,” Dr. Michael Angarone, director of the Infectious Disease Fellowship Program at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, told ABC News. “But I recommend every patient that I see should get vaccinated for influenza.”
Standard-dose inactivated flu vaccines grown either in eggs or cell culture are available for anybody as young as 6 months old.
High-dose and adjuvanted flu vaccines, both of which are egg-based, are available for those aged 65 and older due to their higher risk of severe illness.
Anyone aged 9 and older can receive a recombinant flu vaccine, which is produced without eggs. For those between ages 2 and 49, who don’t have certain medical conditions and aren’t pregnant, a nasal spray flu vaccine is also available.
Additionally, in August, the Food and Drug Administration approved Moderna’s mRNA seasonal flu vaccine to protect those aged 50 and older.
One dose is recommended for children between 6 months and 8 years old who have received two doses in past seasons and everyone aged 9 and older.
Some children under age 9 may require two doses based on prior vaccine history.
Public health specialists told ABC News they recommend that people receive flu vaccines by the end of October, but that people should get the vaccine even if later in the fall or winter as long as influenza viruses are circulating and unexpired vaccine is available.
Dr. Majd Alsoubani, infectious disease physician at Tufts Medical Center, said that one thing she often hears from patients is that every time they receive the vaccine, they get the flu — which she says is a combination of misinformation and misunderstanding.
“All the injectable influenza vaccines, they don’t have the live virus, it only contains parts of the virus, so it doesn’t cause influenza,” she told ABC News. “We know that the vaccine needs a couple of weeks just to create protection, so if they were exposed to influenza before the vaccine or right after, they actually might get the flu because the vaccine didn’t have time to provide that protection.”
COVID-19 vaccine
People aged 18 and older are recommended to receive the COVID-19 vaccine, as are children ages 6 months to 17 years old at increased risk
Parents of all other children should speak to their pediatrician to discuss getting the vaccine.
The updated 2026-2027 COVID-19 vaccines target the XFG strain, a recombinant Omicron variant, meaning it formed through the combination of two Omicron subvariants.
Moderna’s mRNA vaccine is approved for those 6 months through 64 years old with an underlying condition and for all adults aged 65 and older. Another Moderna mRNA vaccine that is a lower dosage is available for those ages 12 and older
Pfizer’s mRNA vaccine is approved for those 5 years through 64 years old with an underlying condition and for all adults over age 65.
According to the CDC, underlying conditions placing people at risk for higher risk for severe COVID-19 include but are not limited to cancer, asthma, chronic lung disease, diabetes, heart conditions, mental health conditions and pregnancy.
Also available is a vaccine from Novavax, which is a protein-based vaccine, for those aged 12 and older.
Angarone said people can safely get the flu and COVID vaccine during the same visit if they are eligible.
“I recommend to my patients just get it at the same time, or if you don’t want to get both at the same time, get [the COVID vaccine] a week apart from the flu vaccine,” he said. “So, kind of around this time, October timeframe.”
RSV vaccine
“The immunization recommendation kind of follows the people who are at risk of severe disease,” Alsoubani said. “So the RSV vaccine currently is only one dose, so you’re one and done. It’s not an annual vaccine.”
The CDC recommends RSV vaccines for all adults aged 75 and older and adults between ages 50 and 74 at increased risk for severe RSV.
It is also recommended for all pregnant people between 32 and 36 weeks’ gestation.
For infants under 8 months who are in their first RSV season and whose mother did not receive a maternal RSV vaccine, two monoclonal antibody shots are available.
Monoclonal antibodies are proteins manufactured in a lab that mimic the antibodies the body naturally creates when fighting an infection.
A small group of young children between ages 8-19 months at increased risk for severe RSV may also be eligible.
