Alabama health officials say a confirmed case of measles has been reported in St. Clair County, according to Associated Press reports. 

It is the first confirmed case in the state after concerns about a resurgence of measles across the country.

State Health Officer Scott Harris said a case of measles was confirmed Thursday in an infant under 1-year-old. The infant was not old enough to have been immunized, the AP reports.

WVTM is reporting the 5-month-old baby is from Pell City, and the child’s mother said the infant had a fever, runny nose and a rash.

Alabama Department of Public Health (ADPH) officials say the infant was contagious from April 23 through Wednesday and had not been out of the state, WBRC reported. The epidemiology staff is working with the family and medical provider to determine when and where the infant was infected and if there could have been additional exposures.

No additional information about the case was released but ADPH officials hope to be able to give the public more details within the next 24 hours.

ADPH receives numerous reports daily for notifiable diseases which include specific diseases, any diseases of public health importance and outbreaks of any kind. Prior to Thursday, ADPH had conducted 174 investigations, including 32 which are currently open with no confirmed cases of measles in the state this year.

ADPH notes from the time that a person is exposed to measles, it can take 7-21 days for signs and symptoms to occur with an average of 10-14 days. People are contagious from four days before the rash develops until four days after.

Harris said the best way to prevent measles is to get vaccinated. There is no shortage of the vaccine, and Harris said it has no side effects.

For additional information, go to alabamapublichealth.gov/immunization.