Health officials say Orange County infant with measles traveled through LAX in early January
By Dean Fioresi
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LOS ANGELES (KCAL, KCBS) — Health officials on Tuesday advised the public that a person with a confirmed case of measles traveled through Los Angeles International Airport earlier this month.
The person, an infant from Orange County, arrived at the airport’s Tom Bradley International Terminal following an overseas trip aboard Korean Air Flight KAL11/KE11 on Feb 19, according to health officials with the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health and the Orange County Health Care Agency.
Now, they’re waning that anyone who was at Terminal B that day between 1 p.m. and 4 p.m. may be at risk of developing measles, a viral infection that is currently at the center of an outbreak across the United States.
Public health officials are working with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to notify any passengers that may have been sitting in specific seats on the same flight as the infant, as it may have increased their risk of exposure to the disease.
OCHCA officials said that there are not any known additional community exposures beyond LAX.
Anyone who may have come into contact with the child is urged to confirm their vaccination status or possible immunization through a prior infection. Those who are not immune are at risk of contracting measles between a week and three weeks from exposure, officials said.
“Measles is a serious respiratory disease that spreads easily through the air and on surfaces, particularly among people who are not already protected from it,” said Los Angeles County Health Officer Dr. Muntu Davis in a statement. “A person can spread the illness to others before they have symptoms, and it can take seven to 21 days for symptoms to show up after exposure.”
Davis continued to note that the disease is particularly dangerous for vulnerable people like young children and elderly adults.
“The best way to protect yourself and your family from infection is with the highly effective measles vaccine,” Davis’ statement said.
Common symptoms of measles includes a high fever, runny nose, cough, tiny white spots inside of the mouth, red and/or watery eyes and a rash that develops within five days of other signs of illness. It typically tarts at the face and then spreads to the rest of the body.
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health said that there have been more than 120 confirmed cases of measles reported across the U.S. this year, but that the number is likely higher because of outbreaks in Texas and New Mexico. On Wednesday, the first measles-related death of the year was reported in a Texas child.
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