LAX Measles Exposure Highlights Risks During World Cup Travel

A person infected with measles flew on a transpacific flight and passed through Los Angeles International Airport last week, potentially exposing other passengers to the highly contagious disease, health officials said. This latest case comes as travelers surge into Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay Area for the FIFA World Cup, and as measles is on the upswing — posing a particular risk to the unvaccinated, including infants who are too young to be inoculated.

The infected individual arrived on Cathay Pacific Airlines Flight 884 from Hong Kong, landing at LAX's Tom Bradley International Terminal on June 11. People at the terminal between 10 a.m.

and noon that day may have been exposed. The person then traveled to the Hilton Los Angeles Airport Hotel, where potential exposure occurred between 11:15 a.m.

and 12:15 p.m. This is the fourth measles case confirmed in a passenger passing through LAX while possibly contagious this year, and the sixth case overall reported by L.A.

County health officials. Health officials urge everyone to confirm their immunity and get the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine if needed, especially before traveling and attending crowded events.

Measles symptoms include a rash that typically starts on the face and spreads downward, cough, runny nose, red and watery eyes, and a fever that can be higher than 101 degrees. Infected people can spread the virus up to four days before a rash appears and up to four days after.

The U.S. is in the midst of a troubling measles resurgence, with annual caseloads hitting levels not seen in more than three decades.

This year, 2,073 cases have been reported nationwide, according to CDC data. In California, there have been 50 confirmed measles infections so far this year, the highest number in a single calendar year since 2019.

Health officials in the Bay Area also warned about a measles-infected person who arrived at San Francisco International Airport on June 8, with potential exposures in San José. Doctors warn that measles is especially dangerous for babies who are too young to be vaccinated.

Immunizing household members is the best way to protect infants.