2nd O'Hare Measles Case Unrelated To First: Health Officials

CHICAGO, IL — The Illinois Department of Public Health on Wednesday confirmed that a second person infected with measles was at O'Hare International Airport earlier this month, but said the two cases are unrelated and that there is no measles outbreak at the airport.

"It is important to note that these two individuals did not become infected while at O’Hare airport, but had already contracted measles," IDPH said in a statement.

Like the other patient at O'Hare, the second person was also infectious at the time they were at the airport and arrived via the international terminal, health officials said. IDPH released a timeline of locations were the second measles patient visited while infectious:

_{Note: Times of possible exposure include two-hour windows added to the time the infected individual left the location, as measles can linger in the air and on surfaces.}

"People who are considered to be close contacts and most at risk, including passengers on the inbound flight to Chicago O’Hare and others in the airport, are being contacted directly by local health departments," IDPH said in a news release. "Hospitals and health care facilities are working to identify all possible areas of exposure and notify susceptible patients, staff, and visitors. IDPH is working with local health departments and hospitals during this investigation and information is subject to change."

Anyone who may have become infected due to exposure to the second patient could develop symptoms as late as Feb. 1.

O'Hare Measles Patient May Have Exposed Other Passengers

Symptoms of measles include rash, high fever, cough, runny nose, and red, watery eyes. Anyone who develops symptoms should call a health care provider before going to a medical office or emergency department. Special arrangements can be made for evaluation while also protecting other patients and medical staff from possible infection, IDPH said.

Measles can cause serious complications such as pneumonia and encephalitis (swelling of the brain) and even death.

“It is important for everyone who can be vaccinated to get vaccinated, if they aren’t already,” said IDPH Chief Medical Officer Dr. Jennifer Layden. “Getting vaccinated not only protects you, it protects others around you who are too young to get the vaccine or can’t receive it for medical reasons. Two doses of measles vaccine are about 97 percent effective in preventing measles. ”

AP Photo/Nam Y. Huh