3. Cough
Once again, one of the symptoms of the measles can be misdiagnosed as the flu. This symptom is a cough that is harsh, dry, and quite irritated. When a person has the flu they will often have this same type of dry nasty cough. However, a cough that is caused by the measles will not be affected by cough syrups or other over the counter medications.
This is the best way to tell the difference between a cold that is caused by a cold or the flu and a cough that is caused by the measles. The rubeola virus is primarily spread by mucus droplets that can be passed on by coughing. This is one of the reasons that a person with measles can infect so many people in a short amount of time. As the virus spreads through the mucus, it can easily infect many people who are around the person who has it.