Philadelphia Department of Public Health Commissioner Dr. Thomas Farley and Secretary of Health Dr. Rachel Levine told residents who were at the Philadelphia International Airport earlier this month they may have been exposed to measles.
“An individual with a suspected case of measles was present in the Philadelphia International Airport on two days and may have exposed many individuals,” Secretary Levine said in a press release.
Levine added that, “The Department of Health is working with the county and municipal health departments to notify Pennsylvanians who were on flights with the suspected case, but other individuals may have been exposed at the airport during the identified times; however, if you have been properly immunized against measles, your risk of getting the disease is minimal. If you believe you might have been exposed and experience symptoms, please contact your health-care provider or call our toll-free hotline at 1-877-PA-HEALTH.”
Officials report that on October 2 and October 3, travelers might have been exposed to measles. They shared the potential exposures at the following times and locations according to officials :
· Wednesday, October 2, Terminal F, from 6:30 p.m. to 12:00 a.m.
· Thursday, October 3, Terminal F, from 4:00 p.m. to 12:00 a.m.
· Thursday, October 3, Terminal A, from 8:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m.
· Thursday, October 3, Terminal A/B shuttle bus from 8:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m.
15 cases of measles were confirmed in Pennsylvania in 2019, so far. According to reports over 1,000 cases of measles have been confirmed across the United States in 2019.
Those most at-risk to measles include infants under one year old, individuals who have not gotten the vaccine and people from areas of the world where there are low vaccination rates.
According the CDC, some symptoms are high fever, cough, runny nose, and red, watery eyes. Additional symptoms may include tiny white dots inside of someone’s mouth, and of course the bumps. Measles are extremely contagious, however, officials report it is a vaccine-preventable disease.
If you or someone you know is exhibiting any of these symptoms, you are urged to contact your physician. You can also call the toll-free hotline at 1-877-PA-HEALTH.
