New Jersey health officials are warning that a passenger who went through Newark Liberty International Airport this month had measles and was infectious.
The exposure happened in the airport’s B and C terminals between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. on Dec. 12, the New Jersey Department of Health said Friday.
Officials did not name the patient, a non-Jerseyan, or say whether he or she arrived at the airport or was departing.
Health officials said that while no new cases were reported in the state as of Friday, people exposed to measles at the airport on Dec. 12 could develop symptoms as late as this Friday.
Measles symptoms usually begin within a week to two weeks after infection, starting with high fever that can exceed 104 degrees Fahrenheit, cough, a runny nose and red, watery eyes, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says.
Within two to three days after symptoms begin, white spots may appear within an infected person’s mouth, and within three to five days, a rash appears starting at the hairline that spreads down the body to the torso and limbs. A person with measles is infectious between four days before the rash starts to four days after, according to the CDC.
New Jersey health officials urged people to get vaccinated using the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine. One dose of the vaccine is 93% effective at preventing the contraction of measles, while two doses are 97% effective, according to the CDC.
• Brad Matthews can be reached at bmatthews@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.