RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) — A person who traveled through Raleigh-Durham International Airport last week was infected with measles, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services said Wednesday afternoon.
The person, who is an out-of-state resident, traveled through Terminal 2 at RDU last week while infectious. Wake County Public Health and NCDHHS said the traveler arrived at the terminal for an early morning flight on Dec. 10.
Anyone who was in Terminal 2 between 4 a.m. and 8 a.m. on that day could have been exposed to measles and should monitor for measles-like symptoms until Jan. 1, NCDHHS said. Passengers on flights taken by the person with measles are being contacted individually by their local health departments.
There is no known health risk at RDU, health officials said.
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“Measles is a highly contagious disease, and it spreads quickly in children and adults who are not vaccinated,” said State Epidemiologist Zack Moore. “All North Carolinians should ensure that they and their families are up to date on their MMR vaccine.”
Public health experts recommended that all unvaccinated people aged 1 and older receive the measles vaccination to protect themselves and those around them.
“The people who I worry about are people who are not vaccinated, little kids who haven’t had the chance to get vaccinated yet, those are the kind of people who could be a risk, pregnant (women) who havent been sufficiently vaccinated, older people who’ve lost their immunity those are the kinds of people we worry about,” said Dr. David Wohl, a UNC professor of infectious diseases.
Measles vaccines are also recommended for infants 6-11 months who will be traveling internationally or to areas with active measles outbreaks.
As of Dec. 9, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has reported 1,912 people from 43 states as confirmed measles cases this year. This is the highest number of measles cases reported in the U.S. since the second dose of MMR vaccine became widely used in the early 1990s.
No cases of measles have been identified in North Carolina residents this year, though a confirmed case was identified in June in a child who traveled to NC from another country.
“My prediction is it’s not if but when we get cases here in North Carolina, not just a traveler passing through, we’re going to have cases here,” Wohl said.
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Measles is spread through the air by coughing and sneezing. It can also be transmitted through contact with secretions from the nose or mouth of an infected person. The virus can live for up to two hours in the air where the infected person was present. Symptoms of measles usually begin 7-14 days after exposure, but can appear up to 21 days after exposure and may include:
- High fever (may spike to more than 104 degrees)
- Red, watery eyes (conjunctivitis)
- Tiny white spots on the inner cheeks, gums and roof of the mouth (Koplik Spots) two to three days after symptoms begin
- A rash that is red, raised, blotchy; usually starts on face, spreads to trunk, arms and legs three to five days after symptoms begin
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Measles can lead to severe complications such as pneumonia and encephalitis, especially in young children. Globally, measles killed approximately 95,000 people in 2024, with most of those being unvaccinated children 5 and younger.
“Vaccines are among the most successful and cost-effective public health tools available for preventing serious illness and death,” said Rebecca Kaufman, Wake County Public Health Director. “The MMR vaccine is effective, safe and readily available, and we hope these outbreaks will encourage everyone who has not been vaccinated to contact their health care provider to make sure they are up to date.”
Click here for more information about measles,
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