Migrants at a city-run shelter in Pilsen were startled awake about 1 a.m. Friday and told there was a measles outbreak, the doors were locked, there was a 10-day quarantine — and anyone who left would lose their place there, new arrivals told Block Club.

A confirmed case of measles was found this week in a young child at the shelter, 2241 S. Halsted St. The child is recovering and is no longer contagious, the Chicago Department of Public Health announced early Friday.

Department workers asked shelter residents to remain until they could determine who has been vaccinated and can screen unvaccinated residents for symptoms, according to a health department news release.

Those who can prove they have been vaccinated were allowed to leave starting late in the morning Friday, while others must stay inside the shelter and quarantine. Some are concerned about having to quarantine there, as the shelter has faced criticism for unsanitary conditions and inedible food for months.

Shelter residents and a volunteer said the early-morning announcement of a quarantine — combined with the locked doors and the arrival of police — caused panic and scared new arrivals who were unsure what was happening or how they’d be able to prove they have been vaccinated against measles.

City officials arrived with police about 1 a.m. and proceeded to lock the shelter’s door until about 9:30 a.m.

Alejandra, a resident of the shelter, expressed her distress, “They startled us awake. It was horrible. And then when they told us why they woke us up like that, the news of the outbreak and that we can’t leave and if we do we wouldn’t be let back in, it was even more horrible.”

Alejandra also mentioned the confusion regarding proof of vaccination and the need to get her vaccination records from her family in Venezuela.

According to Ruth, another migrant at the shelter, the incident instigated anger and fear among the residents, especially because the shelter has received criticism in the past for unsanitary conditions and inadequate food.

City officials started interviewing migrants at the shelter to ask them for vaccination paperwork and to offer measles vaccinations for those that hadn’t received it yet.

A volunteer who has been assisting the shelter residents stated, “Some people are claiming they already have the vaccination. I just know that they’re scared and some don’t want to be injected because they don’t know what they’re being injected with.”

The health department assured that masks, protective equipment, and meals would be provided to the shelter residents and staff.

Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez (25th) mentioned that vaccinated residents could resume their normal activities, but the unvaccinated individuals must remain under watch for measles symptoms.

However, concerns about the quarantine and the food provided remain among the residents. Many complain that the meals served at the shelter are unsatisfactory, with reports of illness attributed to the food.

Ruth attested to the poor quality of food, citing examples of stale bread and possibly rotten meat, and explained, “If we can help it, we never eat the food they give us here. It’s bad. When they first locked us in, we had no idea how long we’d be quarantined and stuck eating food that’s gotten us sick before, which got a lot of people angry.”

Measles is rare in Chicago due to the high vaccination rate in the city. However, the United States has seen an increase in cases, according to the city health department.

The measles-mumps-rubella vaccine (MMR vaccine) is “extremely effective” in preventing the illness and providing protection. It is available to individuals aged 1 and older.

Dr. Evelyn Figueroa, a family physician at University of Illinois Health, emphasized that the measles vaccine is widely available for free worldwide. She highlighted that an outbreak of measles is not tied to country of origin or immigration status and is caused by under-vaccinated individuals.

Measles is highly contagious and poses a risk to unvaccinated people, especially infants and young children. Symptoms of measles include rash, high fever, cough, runny nose, and red, watery eyes. It takes 7 to 21 days for symptoms to appear after exposure.

Anyone experiencing symptoms should contact their doctor or an emergency department before visiting to protect others.

The health department clarified that there is no known link between the measles case in the Chicago resident and the case in an Indiana resident who traveled to Chicago in February.