MA Health Officials Warn Locals Of Possible Measles Exposure

WAYLAND, MA — The Massachusetts Department of Public Health is alerting locals to a case of measles diagnosed in an international visitor who traveled through Boston.

The traveler used public transportation to make their way through Boston to Amsterdam on June 22, and "was present in public locations that could have resulted in exposure to other people," health officials said.

The department mapped out a timeline of the traveler's movements on the 22nd, with the time they were at each location.

Saturday, June 22, 2024:

• Dartmouth Coach Bus Line Departure from Hanover, New Hampshire at 11:40 a.m.
• Dartmouth College to Boston, MA arriving at Logan Airport (Boston, MA) at approximately 2:40 p.m.
• Terminal E at Logan Airport, in Boston from 2:40 p.m. to 8:40 p.m.
• Flight KLM6016 from Boston to Amsterdam departing from Gate E5

The Department of Public Health, local health departments, and healthcare providers are working to contact people at high risk for exposure to the traveler, officials said, though they added that "exposures on public transportation make identification of high-risk contacts challenging."

Anyone who visited any of the above locations at the times listed should contact their doctor to confirm their immunization status, according to officials.

"Measles is more easily spread than almost any other disease," according to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. "The virus that causes measles lives in the nose and throat and is sprayed into the air when an infected person sneezes, coughs, or talks. It can stay in the air for up to two hours. Other people nearby can inhale the virus."

The department is also urging those who do not know their measles immunization status to get vaccinated with at least one does of Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMR) vaccine.

"Measles vaccine given within 72 hours of exposure may prevent measles disease, and vaccination beyond this window will provide protection from subsequent exposures," officials said.

Those who were exposed and begin to develop symptoms are urged to call their doctor before any in office-visits to a clinic or emergency department for instructions on how to avoid putting others at risk, and to wear a mask when seeking treatment.

Those exposed who do not have evidence of immunity to measles may be subject to quarantine for up to 21 days following the exposure.

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"Early symptoms of measles occur 10 days to two weeks after exposure and may resemble a cold with fever, cough, runny nose, and red eyes, and a rash occurs on the skin two to four days after the initial symptoms develop," officials said. "The rash usually appears first on the head and then moves downward. The rash typically lasts a few days and then disappears in the same order. People with measles could be contagious up to four days before the rash appears and for four days after the day the rash appears."

Anyone who has had measles or is up-to-date on their measles vaccinations is considered immune, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The guidelines are as follows:

• Children: Children should receive their first dose of Measles-Mumps-Rubella (MMR) vaccine at 12-15 months. School-aged children need two doses of MMR vaccine.
• Adults: Adults should have at least one dose of MMR vaccine. Certain groups at high risk need two doses of MMR, such as international travelers, health care workers, and college students. Adults born in the US before 1957 are considered immune to measles from past exposures.

The Department of Public Health is urging anyone seeking more information to call the department at 617-983-6800, Wayland’s Public Health Department at 508-358-3617, or visit DPH’s website.