Travelers are being warned about possible measles exposure at the Los Angeles International Airport after one passenger was confirmed to have the highly contagious disease.
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health clarified that there is no exposure risk at the airport at this time. The bulletin, which was released on Tuesday, March 12, is meant to warn only those who might have interacted with the infected passenger on Feb. 21.
Passenger At LAX Tests Positive For Measles
According to Public Health, the infected passenger arrived on a China Eastern flight 583 at the Tom Bradley International Airport Terminal B, Gate 133 at 9 a.m. and had a layover at Delta Airlines, Terminal 3, Gate 32 while waiting for the Delta flight DL 5705. Those who were at Terminal B and Delta Terminal 3 on Feb. 21 from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. are advised to watch out for symptoms of the disease, especially those who have weakened immune systems or have not received a vaccine.
Travelers who sat beside the infected passenger on the Delta flight DL 5705 will be notified separately and privately about the possibility that they might have been exposed to measles.
"If you think that you or someone you know has been exposed to or has measles, contact your healthcare provider by phone right away before going in," stated Muntu Davis, a Los Angeles County Health Officer. "People who may have been exposed to measles and who have not been immunized, may receive measles immunization and be protected from developing the disease. Getting immunized is the best way to keep from getting and spreading measles."
Public Health added that officials have only been notified of the case last week, March 7. If by March 14, Thursday, individuals who might have been exposed to the infected passenger do not develop symptoms, they are no longer considered at risk of acquiring measles.
Measles Outbreak In The US
The infected passenger is the latest development for the outbreaks of measles, a disease thought to have been eliminated in the United States in 2000. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, a total of 228 individual cases of measles have been confirmed in 12 states, including California, since Jan. 1, 2019.
