Cascade County health officials investigate Great Falls exposure as measles spreads in nearby counties

Cascade County health officials said Tuesday they are investigating a confirmed measles exposure in Great Falls tied to a Hill County case and are preparing notifications and clinical responses for potentially exposed people.

The county health officer, Abigail Ellis, told the Board of Health that an individual from Hill County who later developed measles was in Great Falls for an appointment on May 27 and began showing symptoms three days later. "We did have an exposure in Great Falls from, 1 of the cases in Hill County," Ellis said. Staff are contacting businesses housed in the same suite where the exposed person visited to assemble client lists and begin exposure notifications.

Board members were told the county will issue quarantine recommendations and arrange testing and, if needed, vaccination clinics. "We will do testing in people's vehicles for swabs," Ellis said, asking symptomatic people to call ahead rather than walk into care facilities. She said exposure-notification letters and public messaging would be released by the county by the next morning.

Why it matters: Hill County and nearby jurisdictions have reported multiple measles cases this spring. Ellis said Hill County is seeing community spread and state guidance permits earlier vaccination for infants 6 to 12 months if traveling to that county. The long incubation—up to 21 days—means exposed people may need extended quarantine and public-health follow-up.

Board attorneys discussed the limits and tools available to local health officials. "DPHHS did have guidance from 2023 after house bill 702 went into effect… that this does not apply to exemption requirements for schools or day cares," Deputy County Attorney Michelle Levine said, summarizing state guidance and her office's legal view. Levine said the county attorneys believe the statutory language still allows exclusion of unvaccinated children in licensed day-care and school settings during outbreaks, but that the interpretation has not been litigated.

The legal framework and the county emergency response plan were reviewed at the meeting. Ellis said the county's emergency response plan—approved by the Board of Health in 2023—already documents the process for isolation and quarantine, and county attorneys plan to add statutory excerpts from 49-2-312 (the codified language from HB 702) to clarify limitations in the plan.

What officials are doing now: Ellis said staff are collecting client lists from businesses in the exposed suite and will begin notifying potentially exposed people. The county is prepared to set up vaccination clinics at the health department if a broader recommendation is needed, and will coordinate post‑exposure prophylaxis arrangements for infants and other high‑risk people. "If it's at a facility and there was a lot of kids… then we can arrange for getting the immunoglobulin," Ellis said.

Board members and legal counsel emphasized that exclusion and enforcement options differ by group. Levine said the statutory carve-out permits considering vaccine status for exclusions in schools and day cares but does not authorize exclusion of adults from general businesses based on vaccination status. "This vaccine requirement piece only applies to the kids. It does not apply to staff," Levine said.

Officials urged residents with symptoms or possible exposures to call the health department before visiting care sites so testing can be done safely and to limit further exposures. The county will post testing and contact information on public channels and begin targeted outreach to affected businesses and providers.

Ending: At the meeting's close Ellis and legal staff said they would continue coordinating with state public-health partners, county attorneys and local providers and will return to the board with updates as investigations and notifications proceed.