PHILADELPHIA – Health officials are warning travelers who recently visited Philadelphia International Airport of a possible measle exposure.
What we know:
The Philadelphia Department of Health said an individual with measles was at terminals A and B on Sunday between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m.
They encouraged people who believe they were exposed to measles to check their vaccination status and to watch for symptoms.
Health Commissioner Palak Ravel-Nelson said there is “no threat to the public associated with this case of measles.”
What is measles?
Health officials say measles is a “highly contagious virus that spreads through the air when infected people cough, sneeze or talk.”
People who are not vaccinated against measles can get the virus up to two hours after someone with measles left the same room or airspace, officials added.
Early symptoms of measles include fever, runny nose, cough, puffy red eyes, and a rash.
While treatable, in some instances, health officials say measles can be a “very serious infection that leads to pneumonia, brain infection or death.
What they’re saying:
Health officials encourage unvaccinated people who believe they were exposed to measles to take immediate action.
“The MMR vaccine is safe and highly effective and is the best way to avoid serious complications of a vaccine-preventable disease,” health officials said.