Officials reported possible measles exposure at Philadelphia International Airport, where a person with measles passed through without leaving. It involved terminals B and F and connecting areas in C, D and E, from 7:45 p.m. Sept. 13 to 12:05 a.m. Sept. 14.
This was the Philadelphia area's second reported measles exposure within a week; the earlier one was at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) on Sept. 11. Potential exposure there included the NICU West, family lounge and atrium from 9:30 a.m. to 4:15 p.m., and the main cafeteria from 12:05 to 2:45 p.m. Health departments and CHOP said they were working to provide potentially exposed infants with a preventive antibody product to prevent or lessen severe disease and help stop further spread.
Officials urged potentially exposed people to check their vaccination status and monitor for symptoms. Those who are not immune or unsure of their status, infants, pregnant people who are not immune, and immunocompromised people should contact a doctor; anyone with symptoms should call ahead before visiting a health care facility and mention the possible exposure. Early symptoms can begin 7 to 21 days after exposure and include fever, cough, runny nose and red, watery eyes; a rash follows a few days later. Pennsylvania confirmed two measles-related deaths among unvaccinated Lancaster County residents in August, the state's first in 35 years.