FORT WORTH, Texas — As if travelers didn't have enough to think about as they hustled to their flights Thursday, news of a measles scare at the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport sparked a whole new set of fears.
According to Tarrant County Public Health, an unidentified passenger flew into D/FW Airport from overseas May 15, then caught a connecting flight home.
"After they landed at their home destination, they were diagnosed with measles," said Vinny Taneja, director of TCPH.
Here are the areas that person was last Wednesday inside the airport:
- Terminal D customs area from 5:15 p.m. to 7:45 p.m.
- The Skylink (i.e., tram between terminals) from 5:45 p.m. to 8 p.m.
- Terminal A in the area of gate 8 from 6 p.m. to 10:50 p.m.
Measles is highly contagious, Taneja said. It first presents as general illness – cough, runny nose, fever, sore throat – and then comes the tell-tale rash. But the illness can lead to serious complications.
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"If you've been vaccinated, I don't think there's any real risk to that person," Taneja said. "But those who have not been vaccinated, that's the real risk."
Traveler Brittney Gutierrez, of Dallas, is one of those people.
"That's why it's scary," she said of the news.
She said she now plans to get vaccinated.
WFAA also learned Thursday that if you were born between 1957 and 1989, you likely only got one dose of the MMR (Measles, Mumps and Rubella) vaccine. Experts recommend those people get another dose if they're planning to travel internationally.
"If you're traveling overseas to countries where measles is still present and actively circulating, now you're in a more high-risk situation," Taneja said.
In 2000, the measles was declared eliminated in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. However, the U.S. has seen a resurgence this year with nearly 900 cases, Taneja said. Against the advice of the medical community, some people are choosing not to vaccinate their children.
"She's vaccinated," traveler Jennifer Munn said of her 3-year-old daughter.
"But I hate it for those who can't do vaccines, are too young to do it, and then get put at risk because of that."
People who might be at risk from this exposure should watch their health until June 5.