Newark Airport Measles Alert Is 3rd This Year: New Jersey DOH

NEWARK, NJ — Travelers who passed through Terminal C at Newark Liberty International Airport on May 2 may have possibly been exposed to measles, according to the New Jersey Department of Health (NJDOH).

The NJDOH issued an advisory on Friday, warning residents that two individuals with measles may have recently exposed others in the state. According to state health officials:

“In two unrelated incidents, an individual with measles stopped briefly in the state on April 30 while on a tour bus traveling from Niagara Falls, New York to Washington DC, and a Bergen County resident developed measles after contact with an international traveler who was ill with measles.”

The NJDOH said that anyone who visited the following locations may have been exposed to measles:

• Towne Centre at Englewood apartments, 20 W Palisade Ave, Englewood, NJ 07631 (April 24 - May 2 – any time)
• Renaissance Office Center, 15 Engle St, Englewood, NJ 07631 (April 30, between 1 p.m. and 3:45 p.m.)
• Newark Liberty International Airport, Terminal C (May 2, between 11 a.m. and 3:30 p.m.)
• Columbia Travel Center, I-80 at Rt. 94, 2 Simpson Rd, Columbia, NJ 07832 (April 30, between 9:45 a.m. and 12:20 p.m.)

“If you have been exposed, you are at risk if you have not been vaccinated or have not had measles,” NJDOH officials said.

Exposed individuals could develop symptoms as late as May 23. Anyone who visited the locations listed below during the dates/times listed below should contact a health provider immediately to discuss potential exposure and risk of developing the illness, the NJDOH stated.

"Two doses of measles vaccine are about 97 percent effective in preventing measles,” said Christina Tan, state epidemiologist. “We urge everyone to check to make sure they and their family members are up-to-date on measles/mumps/rubella (MMR) vaccine and all other age-appropriate immunizations. 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.”

The NJDOH alert sent on Friday isn’t the only recent measles-related warning to involve travelers passing through Newark Airport.

In March, the NJDOH released a public health advisory that an international traveler from Brussels with a confirmed case of the "highly contagious disease" passed through the busy airport on their way to Memphis, Tennessee. The suspected carrier, a young child, was reportedly infectious on that day and may have traveled to other areas of the airport.

• See related article: Measles Alert At Newark Airport; Child Was 'Infectious,' DOH Says

In January, the NJDOH issued a precautionary alert in connection with a person with measles who traveled through Newark Liberty International Airport. The source of the alert, an Indiana University student, had a "confirmed case" of the highly contagious disease when she traveled through the airport, authorities said.

• See related article: New Jersey Measles Alert; College Student Flew Into Newark

WHAT ARE THE SYMPTOMS OF MEASLES?

According to the NJDOH:

“Measles symptoms include rash, high fever, cough, runny nose and red, watery eyes. It can cause serious complications such as pneumonia and encephalitis (swelling of the brain). Measles infection in a pregnant woman can lead to miscarriage, premature birth or a low-birth-weight baby. Measles is easily spread through the air when someone coughs or sneezes. People can also get sick when they come in contact with mucus or saliva from an infected person.”

According to the CDC:

“Measles remains a common disease in many parts of the world, including areas in Europe, Asia, the Pacific, and Africa. Worldwide, 19 cases of measles per 1 million persons are reported each year; about 89,780 die. In the United States, most of the measles cases result from international travel. The disease is brought into the United States by unvaccinated people who get infected in other countries. They spread measles to others, which can cause outbreaks.”

Additional information on what to do if you’ve been exposed to measles is available at: www.state.nj.us/health/cd/documents/topics/measles/measles_exposure_guidance_public.pdf

For more information about measles, contact your health care provider or visit the New Jersey Department of Health website at www.state.nj.us/health/cd/topics/measles.shtml

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