New Jersey residents may have been exposed to measles after two people with the virus visited several places, including Newark Liberty International Airport, in recent weeks, the state’s health officials announced.
New Jersey Department of Health said a person with measles stopped in New Jersey on April 30 while on a tour bus traveling from Niagara Falls, New York to Washington, D.C. In the second unrelated incident, a resident in Bergen County contracted measles after coming in contact with an international traveler who had the contagious virus between late April and early May.
The two infected people passed through several places, including Towne Centre at Englewood apartments from April 24 to May 2, Renaissance Office Center in Englewood on April 30, Columbia Travel Center on April 30 and Newark airport on May 2, NJ.com reported.
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Health officials urged anyone who hasn’t received a measles vaccine to immediately do so. Anyone who may have been exposed to the virus who hasn’t been vaccinated should seek medical attention.
People with measles could develop symptoms such as rash, high fever, cough, runny nose and red, watery eyes. In some cases, serious complications such as pneumonia and encephalitis could develop.
Symptoms, however, usually takes a week to two weeks to appear.
The virus spreads when an infected person coughs or sneezes. Measles can also spread four days before and after a rash appears on an infected person, according to the CDC.
Though the disease is highly contagious, officials said children who received the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine twice are “considered protected for life.”