Measles Exposure Warning Issued for Washington Dulles Airport: What to Know

Maryland health officials issued a warning on Sunday to anyone who passed through Washington Dulles International Airport or was in the Johns Hopkins Howard County Medical Center Pediatric Emergency Department after a case of measles was detected in a state resident who recently traveled internationally.

Why It Matters

Measles is an airborne, "extremely infectious, and potentially severe rash illness," according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Up to 9 out of 10 people who are susceptible will get the virus if exposed. The U.S. declared measles eliminated in 2000 "thanks to a very high percentage of people receiving the safe and effective measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine," the CDC said. However, U.S. coverage among children of kindergarten age has fallen below the 95 percent coverage target, which creates a higher risk for outbreaks of the virus. As a result, cases of measles are rising across the country. Before the creation of the MMR vaccine, between 400 and 500 people in the U.S. died from measles each year, and 48,000 people were hospitalized, the CDC said. Two people have died as a result of the measles outbreak in the U.S. this year. An unvaccinated child in Texas and an unvaccinated adult in New Mexico.

What To Know

The Maryland Department of Health on Sunday announced it had confirmed a positive case of measles in a Howard County resident who had recently traveled internationally. The press release stressed that this case has no relation to the outbreaks in Texas or New Mexico. As part of contact tracing efforts, officials advised that the person who has the measles traveled through Washington Dulles International Airport's arrivals terminal on March 5 between 4 p.m. and 9 p.m. ET, and then stopped at Johns Hopkins Howard County Medical Center Pediatric Emergency Department on March 7 between 3:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. ET. Officials have suggested that any person who may have been exposed and are not immune should reach out to the Howard County Health Department's Infectious Disease Surveillance and Response Program at 410-313-6284 for additional guidance.

What Are Measles Symptoms?

The current guidance is for anyone who was in those areas at those times and believes they may have been exposed, especially those who are not vaccinated or otherwise immune to the disease, to monitor for symptoms. Symptoms can appear at any point up to 21 days following exposure but will usually appear between seven to 14 days after exposure, according to the CDC. The most common symptoms are a high fever that can spike to over 104 degrees, a cough, a runny nose, and red, watery eyes. After initial symptoms develop, tiny white spots may appear inside the mouth within two to three days. A rash will then appear three to five days after initial symptoms, usually beginning as flat red spots that appear on the face at the hairline before spreading down to the neck, torso, arms, legs and feet. Small, raised bumps may also appear on top of the spots. Common complications for measles include ear infections that can occur in one out of every 10 children with the disease, or diarrhea that can happen in a similar ratio.

Read more

• Trump administration axes two food safety committees
• US measles map reveals worst hit states as cases surge
• Under RFK Jr.'s leadership, CDC launches large study on vaccines and autism

What People Are Saying

Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) Robert F. Kennedy Jr. wrote in an op-ed for Fox News last week: "Parents play a pivotal role in safeguarding their children's health. All parents should consult with their healthcare providers to understand their options to get the MMR vaccine." He added: "The decision to vaccinate is a personal one. Vaccines not only protect individual children from measles, but also contribute to community immunity, protecting those who are unable to be vaccinated due to medical reasons." The Texas Department of State Health Services on its website: "The best way to prevent getting sick is to be immunized with two doses of a vaccine against measles, which is primarily administered as the combination measles-mumps-rubella vaccine. Two doses of the MMR vaccine are highly effective at preventing measles."

What Happens Next?

Maryland health officials will continue to monitor for additional cases and provide updates to keep residents as informed as possible. People who develop a fever or other symptoms of measles should not go to child care, school, work, or out in public, and should contact their health care provider, the Maryland DOH advised. Those who believe they have been exposed to measles should call their health care provider first rather than showing up in the waiting room or emergency room so that the office can take measures to prevent spread to other patients.