Health officials warned travelers out of two Washington DC-area airports they may have potentially been exposed to “highly contagious measles.”
The alert was for travelers out of Dulles and Ronald Reagan airports.
“The Virginia Department of Health says the warning is linked to an international traveler who was at the international arrivals at Dulles Airport between 4 and 8 o’clock on Wednesday, January the 3rd,” Fox News announced.
“Then at terminal A at Reagan Airport the following day between 2:30 and 6:30 in the afternoon,” the alert added.
WATCH:
BREAKING: Reports are coming in that passengers in the state of Virginia might have been exposed to highly contagious Measles.
Disease X
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— Shadow of Ezra (@ShadowofEzra) January 16, 2024
Per Fox News:
Health officials in the nation’s capital are warning thousands of a possible measles exposure Tuesday after a person with a “confirmed case” traveled through two of the busiest airports in the region while returning home from an international trip.
DC Health says the potential exposure occurred in the international arrivals area of the main terminal at Dulles International Airport between 4 and 8 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 3, then at terminal A at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport the following day from 2:30 to 6:30 p.m.
“DC Health has been notified of a confirmed case of measles in a person who traveled through DC area airports when returning from international travel,” the agency said in a statement. “While the threat of transmission is low, DC Health is notifying District residents who were at these locations about their possible exposure.”
The Virginia Department of Health issued a similar warning days earlier.
Hundreds of flights involving thousands of travelers arrive and depart at both airports daily.
🚨🚨 Health officials warn of possible #Measles exposure DC-area airports. The alleged carrier is an "international" traveler.
— toddstarnes (@toddstarnes) January 16, 2024
“Anyone who was exposed and is at risk of developing measles should watch for symptoms until January 25, 2024,” health officials warned, according to CBS News.
“If you notice the symptoms of measles, immediately isolate yourself by staying home and away from others,” they added.
From CBS News:
Symptoms usually appear within one to two weeks after infection and can include a fever, cough, runny nose, rash, and red watery eyes or pinkeye.
The case in Virginia is the latest potential measles outbreak in the last month.
New Jersey health officials this weekend confirmed a Camden County resident had a case of measles and said they were working on contact tracing to locate the source of the infection.
CBS News Philadelphia has reported on a measles outbreak in Philadelphia that health officials say has resulted in infections of eight people so far.
On Dec. 29, 2023, around 20 to 30 people were potentially exposed to measles at Nemours Children’s Hospital in Delaware after coming into contact with a person who was “not symptomatic but was infectious at the time of their visit to the facility,” according to the Delaware Department of Health.