**Measles Case Confirmed in Anchorage: Health Officials Issue Alert**

A young resident of Anchorage has recently been diagnosed with measles, a highly infectious yet preventable disease, the Anchorage Health Department revealed in an alert on Thursday. The unvaccinated minor was reported to have visited multiple public places in Anchorage during the period they were potentially contagious.

Health officials warned of a possible wider exposure within the community, which could put non-immune individuals at risk. The Anchorage Health Department indicated that those who may have come into contact with the minor are at risk of contracting the virus. It remains unclear how the juvenile contracted measles or whether any travel was involved, and no specific details about the minor's age were provided.

People who might be exposed could begin to show symptoms from May 17 through June 2, according to health officials. Typical symptoms of measles include a high fever, coughing, a runny nose, a rash starting on the face before spreading to the chest and back, and red, watery eyes. Although measles can be life-threatening, particularly for young children, vaccination with the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine is highly effective in preventing the disease.

Vaccination rates among children in Alaska are relatively high, with about 79% of children aged 19 to 35 months and 83% of kids aged 5 to 18 years having received the necessary doses of the MMR vaccine by the end of the previous year, as stated by the state's immunization program.

This year, over 1,000 measles cases and three deaths have been reported in the United States, as per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), with significant outbreaks in Texas and New Mexico. Alaska, as of May 15, has recorded fewer than 10 measles cases. Earlier this year, an unvaccinated resident from the Kenai Peninsula who traveled overseas was hospitalized in Homer with measles.

Health authorities urge the community to ensure their vaccinations are up to date to prevent further spread of this potentially dangerous illness.