Baby With Measles May Have Exposed Other Travelers At O'Hare

CHICAGO, IL — Chicago health officials say a young child with measles traveled through O'Hare International Airport earlier this month while contagious. The unvaccinated 13-month-old and family were returning from an international trip when they passed through terminal 3 and terminal 5 on Nov. 4, officials said.

The child was later diagnosed with measles.

Chicago Department of Public Health officials said travelers who came through O'Hare on that date and times do not need to take action if they are vaccinated, but those who are not should reach out to their health care provider if they develop symptoms.

The dates and times of possible exposure at O'Hare are:

• 6 to 8 p.m. Nov. 4 in terminal 5
• 6 to 9:30 p.m. Nov. 4 in terminal 3

Measles symptoms can appear 7 to 14 days after exposure and can be potentially dangerous, especially for babies and young children, according to the CDC.

Measles typically begins with:

• high fever (may spike to more than 104°),
• cough,
• runny nose (coryza), and
• red, watery eyes (conjunctivitis).

Tiny white spots (Koplik spots) may appear inside the mouth two to three days after symptoms begin.

Three to five days after symptoms, a rash may break out, usually beginning as flat red spots that appear on the face at the hairline and spread downward to the neck, trunk, arms, legs, and feet. According to the CDC:

• Small raised bumps may also appear on top of the flat red spots.
• The spots may become joined together as they spread from the head to the rest of the body.
• When the rash appears, a person’s fever may spike to more than 104° Fahrenheit.

Measles can be serious, the CDC said, and there is no way to tell in advance how severe symptoms will become. According to the CDC:

• About 1 in 5 people in the U.S. who get measles will be hospitalized
• 1 out of every 1,000 people with measles will develop brain swelling, which could lead to brain damage
• 1 to 3 out of 1,000 people with measles will die, even with the best care

Measles is very contagious and spreads through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes. According to the CDC, it is so contagious that if one person has it, up to 9 out of 10 people around him or her will also become infected if they are not protected.