PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — People who traveled through Newark’s Liberty International Airport on the afternoon of Christmas Eve have been warned about potentially being exposed to measles.
According to the New Jersey Department of Health, an international traveller flying into Newark from Brussels, Belgium, on Dec. 24 arrived in Terminal B with an infection of measles, the highly-contagious viral disease that can cause flu-like symptoms in people who are unvaccinated.
“If you were in the airport on Dec. 24 between noon and 4 p.m., you may have been exposed to measles and, if infected, could develop symptoms as late as Jan. 14,” according to the agency’s press release.
United Airlines operates daily flights to Newark Liberty International Airport airport from Presque Isle, Bangor and Portland. It is not clear how many Maine travellers made their way through Newark on Christmas Eve.
Presque Isle International Airport director Scott Wardwell said Monday that the airport saw “strong” passenger loads during the holidays, although there were a number of weather-related delays.
The New Jersey Department of Health suggested that people who think they may have been exposed should contact their local health provider before going into the clinic to safeguard against spreading a possible infection.
Measles symptoms would include rash, high fever, cough, runny nose and red, watery eyes. The infection can spread easily through the air, and can cause complications in vulnerable populations.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as of Dec. 1, 2018, there were 292 individual cases of measles confirmed in 26 states and the District of Columbia, with none reported in Maine. According to the Maine CDC, 94.3 percent of Maine kindergarteners were vaccinated for measles, mumps and rubella in the 2017-2018 school year, in line with the national average.
For more information visit, the U.S. CDC information page on measles.
