California health officials advise of possible measles exposure at Los Angeles International Airport
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health said on Monday that three people had measles virus recently and passed through Los Angeles International Airport to warn others that they might have contracted the measles virus.
Measles is a disease caused in small children by a virus. It is a viral infection where the children suffer from dry cough, fever, runny nose, and rashes all over the body. This infection is spread contagiously by coughing and sneezing. This infection has no cure, but it can be prevented vaccinations. The department said the three were not residing in Los Angeles, and they were at Terminals 4 and 5 from 6:50 AM to noon on December 11. There may be a risk of measles up to 21 days after exposure to any of these terminals on December 11. The department urges people to monitor their condition or unexplained rash 7 to 21 days after exposure, and call a healthcare provider immediately when symptoms appear. The department said Public health urges residents, especially those traveling abroad and those not adequately protected against measles, to get measles vaccination to protect their health better and prevent measles from spreading to others. Measles virus is highly contagious. It can be prevented by vaccination. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as many as 90% of people near unvaccinated infections become infected. The disease can be spread by coughing or sneezing, and it can stay in the air for up to two hours. The department also stated that there had been more than 20 cases in LA County in the year 2019with an extra fourteen non-residents cases. To date, most cases have occurred in unvaccinated people or people who do not know if they have been vaccinated.
In October, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health warned that a measles-infected person had visited Disneyland, potentially leaving hundreds of people with the disease. Also in October, Pennsylvania health officials cautioned that Philadelphia International Airport could be infected with measles, and said a person suspected of having the virus had stayed at the airport for two days and may have been exposed to others.