Chicago’s Department of Public Health is on high alert following the confirmation of two measles cases in the city in 2019. One of the cases involved a child living at the area’s largest migrant shelter, raising concerns about the well-being of migrants in the facility.
Volunteers at the Pilsen shelter have been speaking out about the conditions and lack of space, especially in light of the recent measles case. Nonprofit Southwest Collective has been delivering much-needed supplies such as diapers, Pedialyte, and hygiene kits to the migrants at the shelter. One volunteer has been dedicating four hours a day to distributing these supplies.
Critics have pointed to videos showing overcrowded conditions at the shelter, with migrants sleeping together and not in separate rooms. Dr. Jennifer Grant, the Medical Director of Infection Prevention and Control, emphasized that the measles virus can linger in the air for up to two hours and is highly contagious.
An asylum seeker at the shelter expressed deep concern about the potential spread of measles, describing the conditions as inhumane and overcrowded. The Venezuelan father of two stressed the need for improved conditions and proper measures to prevent the spread of measles among migrants.
The Department of Public Health is working to stop the spread of measles in the city and is urging migrants and volunteers to take necessary precautions. With the threat of a measles outbreak looming, it is crucial for authorities to address the concerns raised by volunteers and migrants at the Pilsen shelter.
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