Health Alert Issued for Newark Airport Travelers
New Jersey health officials have issued a warning regarding a passenger who traveled through Newark Liberty International Airport this month and was contagious with measles.
The exposure occurred in the B and C terminals of the airport on December 12, between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m., as reported by the New Jersey Department of Health.
Officials have not disclosed the identity of the patient, who is not from New Jersey, nor have they confirmed whether the individual was arriving or departing from the airport.
As of Friday, no new cases had been reported in New Jersey; however, individuals exposed to measles at the airport on December 12 may start to show symptoms as late as this coming Friday.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), symptoms typically appear one to two weeks after infection. Initial signs include a high fever that can exceed 104 degrees Fahrenheit, along with cough, runny nose, and red, watery eyes.
Within two to three days after these initial symptoms, white spots may develop inside an infected person’s mouth. A rash usually appears three to five days later, starting at the hairline and spreading downwards across the body. A person remains infectious from four days before until four days after the rash appears.
New Jersey health officials are encouraging individuals to receive vaccinations against measles using the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine. The CDC states that one dose of this vaccine is 93% effective in preventing measles infection, while two doses increase effectiveness to 97%.
