Health officials warn of possible measles exposure at New Jersey airport

Officials have issued a public health alert regarding possible measles exposure at Newark Liberty International Airport.

Officials say a passenger on a flight from Brussels, confirmed to be carrying the disease, arrived at Terminal B on Dec. 24, between 12 p.m. and 4 p.m. The individual may have visited other areas of the airport.

Health officials say anyone in the airport on that day during that timeframe may have been exposed to measles, adding that symptoms could develop as late as Jan. 14, 2019. 

New Jersey residents traveling on that same flight will be notified by individual health departments of the possible exposure.

Anyone who thinks they may have been exposed isurged to contact their health care provider.

Measles is a highly contagious disease. Symptoms can include rash, high fever, cough, runny nose and red, watery eyes. The disease is easily spread through the air when someone coughs or sneezes.

“This confirmed case and exposure are unrelated to the ongoing measles outbreak in Ocean County, which includes 30 Ocean County cases and 3 Passaic County cases,” said New Jersey Health Commissioner Dr. Shereef Elnahal. “Two doses of measles vaccine are about 97 percent effective in preventing measles, so I urge all residents across the state to get vaccinated to protect their health.”

For more information on measles, see here.