Passenger with measles at LAX may have exposed others to disease, officials say

A new measles case has been confirmed at the Los Angeles International Airport, health officials confirmed in a press release.

The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health said that a person infected with measles arrived at the airport on Jan. 12 and frequented Los Angeles while still contagious with the disease.

Officials listed the LAX international terminal and baggage claim and CVS Pharmacy in Brentwood as the places the person visited.

People who haven’t been vaccinated and who went to the locations “are at risk of developing measles from 7 to 21 days after being exposed,” according to the press release. People who have been symptom-free for more than 21 days are considered no longer at risk.

“For those who are not protected, measles is a highly contagious and potentially severe disease that initially causes fever, cough, red, watery eyes, and, finally, a rash,” Muntu Davis, Los Angeles County Health Officer said in the release. “Measles is spread by air and by direct contact even before you know (you) have it.”

Twenty measles cases were confirmed in Los Angeles in 2019, according to CNN.

“Public Health urges residents, especially those who travel internationally and those who have not been fully protected against measles, to get the measles immunization in order to better protect their individual health and to prevent the spread of measles to others,” the health department said, according to CNN.

In 2019, 1,282 measles cases were confirmed in 31 states — the highest rate of cases reported in the US since 1992, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The majority of the cases have been attributed to people who weren’t vaccinated.

This story was originally published January 20, 2020 at 2:11 PM with the headline "Passenger with measles at LAX may have exposed others to disease, officials say."