A traveler infected with measles flew from London to Los Angeles International Airport before traveling to Orange County this month, potentially exposing the public to the highly infectious disease, health officials said Wednesday.
The person arrived at Tom Bradley International Airport Terminal B, Gate 202, on Norse Atlantic Airways flight Z0711 at 2:18 p.m. Friday, according to the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health.
Officials warn that people who were inside the LAX airport terminal between 2:30 and 4 p.m. Friday could be at risk of contracting measles. It's unclear how many people were potentially exposed.
Measles symptoms include a fever over 101 degrees, cough, runny nose, red and watery eyes, white spots that may appear inside the mouth two to three days after symptoms begin and a rash that appears three to five days after other signs of illness. The measles rash usually starts on the face and spreads down the body, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The sick traveler also visited several places in Orange County:
Friday, July 26:
- Denny's Restaurant, 1168 W. Katella Ave., Anaheim (7 p.m. to 9 p.m.)
Saturday, July 27:
- CVS Pharmacy, 1803 S. Harbor Blvd., Anaheim (12:45 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.)
- Walmart, 1120 S. Anaheim Blvd., Anaheim (1-3:30 p.m.)
Sunday, July 28:
- Anaheim Global Medical Center Emergency Department, 1025 S. Anaheim Blvd., Anaheim (2 to 5 p.m.)
- CVS Pharmacy, 1676 W. Katella Ave., Anaheim (4 to 5 p.m.)
Health officials recommended that anyone who was at one of the exposure sites during those times confirm they have been vaccinated against measles. People who are not immunized and have not had measles are at risk of developing symptoms within one to three weeks after exposure. If a person begins to experience symptoms, health officials recommend staying home and calling a health care provider for guidance.
“Measles is highly contagious and can cause severe illness in some people,” Orange County Health Director Dr. Regina Chinsio-Kwong said in a prepared statement. “It spreads very easily through the air and by direct contact with an infected person. People are contagious from about four days before the rash appears until four days after the rash appears.”
According to the CDC, young children, pregnant women, and immunocompromised people are at higher risk for complications from measles.
Most Americans are vaccinated against measles in early childhood, although the rate among California children has declined in recent years, raising concerns that the virus could circulate more widely. Measles cases are increasing nationwide.
To date, the CDC has recorded 188 cases of measles in the United States, more than double the number of cases reported last year. In California, 12 cases have been reported as of this month.
Of this year's cases, 85% of those infected were unvaccinated or their vaccination status was unknown. Nearly half of the reported cases required hospitalization, according to the CDC.
“The best way to protect yourself and your family from infection is with the highly effective measles vaccine,” Los Angeles County Health Director Dr. Muntu Davis said in a statement.
