Look out for symptoms of measles

Several people who attended the Urkult festival 2026 have been infected with measles,

a highly contagious disease. If you attended, participated in, or worked at the festival, you should look out for symptoms.

Early symptoms of measles often include a dry cough, sore, red eyes that are sensitive to light and a high fever.

After a few days, a rash appears. It usually starts on the face and then spreads to the rest of the body. The rash may look different on different skin tones. 

On lighter skin, the rash is usually bright red at first, and then darkens after a few days. On darker skin, the rash tends to be darker from the start and can sometimes be difficult to see. 

When and where to get medical care?

Contact the local healthcare provider where you are staying if you think that you or someone close to you has measles.

If you are in Sweden, you can call the telephone number 1177 at any time for help assessing your symptoms or for advice on where to seek care. 

Always call first

If you need medical care, it is important to call first and not go directly to a healthcare centre. This helps prevent you from infecting others if you have measles. When you call, you will be told what to do. 

Are you already protected against measles?

If you have had measles before, you are immune and cannot fall ill again. If you have been vaccinated against measles with two doses, you are well protected and do not need to get vaccinated again. 

About measles

Measles is a highly contagious viral disease that causes high fever and a rash. It can be very serious and even life-threatening. In Sweden, the disease is rare because the measles vaccine is part of the national vaccination programme for children.