One of the world's most contagious viruses was detected at two major airports over the holiday season. We're talking about measles.
The disease was detected at both Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey and Boston Logan International Airport in Massachusetts. On December 12, officials detected a passenger with the contagious virus at terminals B and C.
"Measles symptoms include a high fever, cough, runny nose, watery red eyes, and a rash that usually appears between three and five days after symptoms begin," the release says. "The rash usually begins as flat red spots that appear on the face at the hairline and spread downward to the neck, torso, arms, legs and feet."
The virus is contagious and spreads via airborne droplets. It can stay in the air for hours after a person leaves. If you were exposed, then call your health provider.
Contagious Virus
"NJDOH is working in collaboration with local health officials on ongoing contact tracing and on efforts to notify people who might have been exposed and to identify additional exposures that may have occurred," says the release.
Meanwhile, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) also confirmed a passenger on Christmas Eve. The passenger had been traveling from Texas. He was later diagnosed with the contagious virus. The measles-infected passenger traveled on American Airlines Flight 2384 from Dallas-Fort Worth to Boston Logan International Airport. He appeared in terminal B.
There's been more than 2,000 measles cases in the United States so far this year. Officials are concerned given the fact that the holiday season is one of the busiest times of the year.
"The single best way to protect your children and yourself from measles is to be vaccinated," Connecticut's DPH Commissioner Manisha Juthani, MD, wrote in a statement, as Fox News Digital recently reported. "One dose of measles vaccine is about 93% effective, while two doses are about 97% effective."
