Los Angeles— After finding a case of measles related to an international passenger who passed through Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) while sick, the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health has issued a public health notice. People who were in Terminal B between 9:30 p.m. and 12:35 a.m. on August 2nd and 3rd may have come into contact with the extremely contagious illness.
China Airlines Flight 008 brought the sick traveler to the Tom Bradley International Terminal (Terminal B) on August 2. Health officials say that local health organizations will immediately contact anyone who were sitting near to the sick person on the aircraft.
Measles is a very contagious and dangerous respiratory virus that can stay in the air and on surfaces for hours. Unvaccinated people can easily spread the infection. The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health is telling anyone who could have been exposed to do the following:
Check to see if you are up to date on your vaccinations: Make sure you have all of your measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) shots. Two doses of the MMR vaccine protect 97% of people from getting measles.
Check for symptoms: Measles can take up to 21 days to show up after being exposed. Look for these important signs: a high temperature, a cough, a runny nose, red, watery eyes, and a rash that usually starts on the face and travels down the body.
If you start to feel sick, stay home and don’t come into contact with other people to stop the spread. Don’t go to a doctor’s office or hospital without first phoning to let them know you could have been exposed to measles. This lets the hospital take the right steps to keep other patients and staff from getting sick.
Health officials say that being vaccinated is the greatest way to keep yourself and your family safe. Measles can cause serious problems including pneumonia and encephalitis, and it is especially harmful for young children, pregnant women, and those with weak immune systems.