SYRACUSE, N.Y. -- People who shopped at a Wegmans store in East Syracuse earlier this month may have been exposed to measles, a contagious viral illness.

The Onondaga County Health Department is asking people to call the department at (315) 435-5752 if they visited the store at 4438 James St. during these times:

July 7, 3:30 p.m. to 11 p.m.

July 8, 9:30 a.m. to 8 p.m.

July 10, 2:30 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Health officials want to determine who may have been exposed to the disease.

An Onondaga County resident who works at the store was diagnosed with measles 13 days after being exposed to the virus on a domestic flight.

The person was vaccinated against measles, has had mild symptoms and is doing well, according to the health department. County health officials said the risk of that individual spreading the virus is low.

People exposed to the disease can develop symptoms such as fever, red eyes, cough and skin rashes until July 31.

The department said people with symptoms should not go to an emergency room, urgent care center or doctor's office without calling first so they won't expose other people. People are considered to be contagious from four days before to four days after a rash appears.

Measles is dangerous for young children, especially those who have not received two doses of the Measles, Mumps, Rubella vaccine.

The county has 12 to 15 people fielding phone calls until 7 p.m. today and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday.

The health department is determining which people who visited the store are at highest risk of getting measles. High risk individuals include unvaccinated people, babies under 12 months, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems.

Although it is unusual, people who have been fully vaccinated can still get measles. About three out of 100 people who have been fully vaccinated get measles if exposed to the virus, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or CDC. Experts aren't sure why. Vaccinated people who get measles are likely to have a milder illness.

After learning someone on a domestic flight had measles, CDC investigators determined which passengers may have been exposed, then contacted those passengers' state health departments. The flight did not land in Syracuse.

The county contacted the Wegmans employee after learning from the state Health Department that individual had been exposed. Lab test results received Thursday showed the Wegmans employee has measles.

Contact James T. Mulder anytime: Email | Twitter | 315-470-2245