Newark Airport passenger in April had measles, could have exposed others

A passenger from Israel confirmed to have had the measles arrived at Newark Airport in mid-April, officials said, marking the latest in a series of such incidents at the airport since last October.

The infected passenger was at Terminal C on April 16, the state Health Department said in a statement. The traveler arrived at Newark from Tel Aviv.  

If travelers were at the airport on April 16 between 4 a.m. and 8 a.m., state health officials have advised they could have been exposed to measles. If anyone was infected, symptoms could develop as late as May 7.  

Symptoms of measles could include a rash, high fever, coughing and watery eyes. Measles is spread through the air when someone coughs or sneezes.

“We urge everyone to check to make sure they and their family members are up-to-date on measles/mumps/rubella (MMR) vaccine and all other age-appropriate immunizations," said Dr. Christina Tan, the state epidemiologist. "Getting vaccinated not only protects you, it protects others around you who are too young to get the vaccine or can’t receive it for medical reasons." 

The potential exposure to measles is the third reported incident at Newark Airport in the last six months.  

Measles outbreak 2019:Your questions about vaccinations and the outbreak answered

In 2018, a passenger who was on a flight from Brussels arrived at the airport on Christmas Eve with the disease.

And a traveler arrived to Newark from Aruba on March 4, state health officials said. He was on his way to California.  

This year, 704 individual cases of measles have been reported in 22 states, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Though the measles were declared eliminated in 2000, recent outbreaks have occurred in New Jersey and New York. The cases in both states have primarily affected members of the Orthodox Jewish community.