Adult travels through SEA with active measles outbreak

An adult traveled through the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA) with measles, Public Health – Seattle and King County reported.

The adult, a resident of Arizona, traveled from an area with an active measles outbreak and was not vaccinated, officials stated.

The person was at SEA on October 13 from 11:30 a.m. to 2:40 p.m. in the C Concourse at Gate C9, the Green Train Line, and the N Concourse at Gate N5.

Officials noted the person traveled before they discovered they were infected and before any rash appeared, but the virus can stay in the air for up to two hours after the infected person leaves the area.

Those exposed to measles at SEA would become sick Oct. 20 to Nov. 3

Those exposed at the airport and not immune to measles would become sick between October 20 and November 3, while immunocompromised people may take longer to experience symptoms.

“Measles is a highly contagious and potentially severe disease that causes fever, rash, cough, runny nose, and red, watery eyes,” Public Health – Seattle and King County stated on its website.

If one person gets sick, up to 9 out of 10 people nearby can become infected if unprotected. It mainly spreads through the air after a person coughs or sneezes.

Symptoms begin seven to 21 days after exposure, and the disease is contagious from around four days before the rash appears to about four days after.

“Measles can lead to ear infections, diarrhea, pneumonia, and rarely, encephalitis (brain inflammation) or death,” officials stated.

Infants, children under 5-years-old, adults over 20 years, pregnant people, and people with weakened immune systems are most at risk.

The disease is preventable with the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine.

Officials noted there have been 11 other cases of measles in Washingto resdients this year.

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