Measles Warning Issued to Travelers, Airports

LOS ANGELES (LALATE) – A measles warning alert has been issued to travelers in certain airports. The measles threat comes after a New Mexico woman with measles may have exposed other travelers on Saturday. Most American are vaccinated against measles or are immune. As a result, the CDC says the risk of transmission to U.S. citizens are low. But public health officials are concerned about pregnant women, babies, and others with weak immune systems or those not immune that may been exposed.
Since 1997, only one hundred fifty cases of measles have been reported in the U.S. But that is not the case overseas.
Outside the U.S., 164,000 people die of a reported ten million cases, annually. As a result, the CDC is equally concerned that measles doesn’t get a “foothold” back into the U.S. Measles can remain airborne in a location for upwards of two hours. Measles symptoms include a body rash and watery eyes.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is trying to contact passengers who may have been exposed to the New Mexico passenger.
The woman arrived from London on February 20 at Washington Dulles in late afternoon. On February 22, the woman traveled from BWI Thurgood Marshall Airport on an evening flight to Denver airport. Then she traveled to Albuquerque, N.M. reportedly the same night.
CDC says its trying to contact passengers, never vaccinated, who sat within five rows of the woman on any of the flights.
Of note, there is a lack of details being released to news about the aircrafts (after the woman deplaned). For example, CDC is concerned about the BWI flight which reportedly continued to San Diego.














