A traveler infected with measles flew from London to Los Angeles International Airport before traveling to Orange County this month, potentially exposing the public to the highly infectious disease, health officials said Wednesday.
The person arrived at the Tom Bradley International Terminal B, Gate 202, on Norse Atlantic Airways flight Z0711 at 2:18 p.m. Friday, according to the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health.
Officials caution that individuals who were inside the LAX terminal from about 2:30 to 4 p.m. Friday may be at risk of developing measles. It is not clear how many people were potentially exposed.
Measles symptoms include a fever higher than 101 degrees, cough, runny nose, red and watery eyes, white spots that may appear inside the mouth two or three days after symptoms begin and a rash that appears three to five days after other signs of illness. A measles rash typically begins at the face and spreads down the body, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The sick traveler also visited several locations in Orange County:
Friday, July 26:
- Denny’s restaurant, 1168 W. Katella Ave., Anaheim (7-9 p.m.)
Saturday, July 27:
- CVS Pharmacy, 1803 S. Harbor Blvd., Anaheim (12:45-2 p.m.)
- Walmart, 1120 S. Anaheim Blvd., Anaheim (1-3:30 p.m.)
Sunday, July 28:
- Anaheim Global Medical Center Emergency Department, 1025 S. Anaheim Blvd., Anaheim (2-5 p.m.)
- CVS Pharmacy, 1676 W. Katella Ave., Anaheim (4-5 p.m.)
Health officials encouraged anyone who was at one of the exposure locations during those times to confirm they’ve been vaccinated against measles. Individuals who are not immunized and haven’t had measles are at risk of developing symptoms one to three weeks after they were exposed. If a person does begin experiencing symptoms, health officials advise staying home and calling a healthcare provider for guidance.
“Measles is highly contagious and can lead to severe disease in some individuals,” Orange County Health Officer Dr. Regina Chinsio-Kwong said in a prepared statement. “It spreads very easily by air and by direct contact with an infected person. People are contagious from approximately four days before the rash appears through four days after the rash appears.”
Young children, pregnant women and immunocompromised individuals are at greater risk of complications from measles, according to the CDC.
Most Americans are vaccinated against measles in early childhood, though the rate among California children has declined in recent years, prompting concerns that the virus could circulate more widely. Measles cases are on the rise across the country.
To date, the CDC has recorded 188 measles cases in the U.S. — more than double the number of cases reported last year. There have been 12 cases in California as of this month.
Of the cases this year, 85% of those infected were unvaccinated or their vaccine status was unknown. Nearly half of the reported cases required hospitalization, according to the CDC.
“The best way to protect yourself and your family from infection is with the highly effective measle vaccine,” Los Angeles County Health Officer Dr. Muntu Davis said in a statement.