The New Jersey Department of Health issued a travel advisory in the city after a person infected with highly contagious measles traveled by air and passed through Newark Liberty International Airport earlier this month.
Health officials said the infected traveler, who was not a New Jersey resident, passed through Terminal B on Oct. 19 between 2:15 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. Those who may have been near or at the same airport or around the same terminal are at risk of contracting the disease.
There is a possibility that some passengers have been exposed to measles.
Authorities said passengers who were at Newark Airport and may have been exposed to the disease may not develop symptoms until Nov. 9 because the virus can take 11 to 12 days to show symptoms.
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If you were at Newark Liberty International Airport and may have been exposed to the virus, here’s how to recognize the symptoms of measles. But let’s start with what measles is.
According to the World Health Organization (WHO), measles is a highly contagious disease that a person can be exposed to through the air when an infected person coughs, sneezes or simply breathes.
It primarily targets the respiratory system before spreading to the rest of the body. Although anyone can get measles, it most commonly affects children and can lead to severe illness, complications or even death.
How to recognize the symptoms of measles?
Symptoms of measles usually begin 10-14 days after exposure to the virus. Early symptoms usually last 4-7 days. These include:
- Runny nose
- Cough
- Red and watery eyes
- Small white spots inside the cheeks.
The most visible symptom of measles is a pronounced rash. It begins to appear about 7-18 days after exposure, usually on the face and upper neck.
WHO says: “It spreads for about 3 days, eventually to the hands and feet. It usually takes 5-6 days to resolve.”
How does it spread?
Measles is a highly contagious viral disease that can be spread by contact with an infected person. A person can become infected by infected secretions from the nose or throat (cough or sneeze) or by breathing air that someone with measles has breathed.
According to the health organization, “the virus remains active and contagious in the air or on infected surfaces for up to two hours. Because of this, it is highly contagious, and one person infected with measles can infect nine out of 10 of their unvaccinated close contacts. An infected person can transmit it from four days before the rash breaks out to four days after the rash breaks out.”
Who is at risk of measles?
Any non-immune person (unvaccinated or vaccinated but has not developed immunity) can become infected. Unvaccinated young children and pregnant people are at the highest risk of serious complications from measles, says the WHO.
There is no specific treatment for measles.
