‘Infectious’ flyer with measles traveled through US airport, triggering warning — as cases more than double 2023 total

A traveler with an infectious case of measles passed through the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport in mid-May, officials said.

Authorities were notified on Thursday that an adult with measles traveled through the busy airport on May 10 and 11 “while infectious,” Public Health – Seattle & King County announced on Friday.

The traveler — whose name was not released publicly — is a resident of Arizona and was likely exposed to the measles while traveling to or around Europe, the officials added.

The individual’s vaccine status is unknown.

“Measles is highly contagious and if you don’t have immunity, you can get it just by being in a room where a person with measles has been,” said Dr. Eric Chow, communicable disease chief for Public Health – Seattle & King County.

“We’ve seen an increase in measles cases around the world and in the US, so it’s an important time to check your vaccination status and get vaccinated if you aren’t protected,” he added.

Measles symptoms typically appear within seven to 14 days of contact with the virus, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Common symptoms include the tell-tale rash, high fever, cough and a runny nose.

Two doses of the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine are about 97% effective at preventing measles, according to experts.

Fellow travelers who passed through Sea-Tac airport, which saw 50.8 million flyers last year, between 5:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. on May 10, as well as those who were around its A Concourse between 7:30 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. on May 11, are at risk for exposure, the area officials said.

Those who may have been exposed to the infected traveler were encouraged to check their vaccination status and to call their doctor immediately if they developed any possible symptoms.

The potential exposure at a major international travel hub came two months after the CDC tightened its travel guidance amid reports of an international measles outbreak.

“The majority of measles cases imported into the United States occur in unvaccinated US residents who become infected during international travel,” the agency said in March.

As of Friday, there had been 146 measles cases reported throughout the United States — more than double the annual total of 58 in 2023, according to CDC data.

The majority of measles cases reported were in patients under 5 years old.

Eighty-three percent of patients were unvaccinated or did not know their vaccine status.