A person in Oklahoma with measles traveled through Will Rogers World Airport in Oklahoma City and may have exposed others to the virus, according to airport officials.
The state Health Department said Friday the infected person lives in Stillwater and has the first confirmed case of measles in Oklahoma since 1997.
The airport said in a news release that the person was a passenger on a United Airlines Flight from Houston's George Bush Intercontinental Airport that arrived at 9:30 p.m. on March 12th. The person then went to the United baggage claim area.
"The airport advises travelers and visitors that were in the terminal building on Thursday, March 12 from 9:30 p.m. until 1:30 a.m. that there was a potential for exposure," according to a news release from airport spokeswoman Karen Carney. "Even though the air in the terminal building is replaced with fresh air six to eight times per hour, it is important to exercise caution with this disease."
Carney said airport officials have also contacted employers regarding any employees who were working at the time of the possible exposure and said the Oklahoma City/County Health Department will provide free vaccinations to those employees at the airport on Sunday.
The state Health Department has said customers of several Stillwater restaurants and grocery stores may also have been exposed to the virus from March 13-19. The businesses include Aldi on North Perkins; Crepe Myrtle Market on Lewis; Food Pyramid on North Main; Boba Fusion Cafe on North Perkins; China Wok on North Perkins; Jimmy's Egg on West 6th; and University Health Services.
Symptoms of measles begin with a mild to moderate fever, runny nose, red eyes, and cough, followed by a rash that starts on the face and spreads to the rest of the body accompanied by a fever that can reach up to 105 degrees. Measles can lead to pneumonia and other complications, especially in young children and adults over 20. The disease can also cause serious problems in pregnant women and those with weakened immune systems.
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Residents who think they may have been at risk of exposure should review their immunization records and contact their local county health department. Persons are protected if they were immunized with two doses of a measles-containing vaccine after the first birthday, or if they were born during or before 1957.
The federal Centers for Disease Control says people born before 1957 lived through several years of epidemic measles before the first measles vaccine was licensed and are considered immune because they have been exposed to the virus.
