Measles Exposure Alert Issued for Philadelphia International Airport

Health officials have announced a measles exposure at Philadelphia International Airport, marking the second recent warning in the city for the highly contagious virus. An individual infected with measles traveled through Terminals B and F, and connected areas of C, D, and E, between 7:25 p.m. on September 13 and 12:05 a.m. on September 14, according to the Philadelphia Department of Public Health.

The infected traveler did not leave the airport during this period. The alert follows a previous exposure warning at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia on September 11, which affected parts of the NICU.

Travelers who were at the airport during the specified times and are not immune to measles, are unsure of their vaccination status, are infants, are pregnant and not immune, or are immunocompromised are urged to contact a healthcare provider. The Health Department advises anyone exposed to check their vaccination records and monitor for symptoms.

Measles is a highly contagious respiratory illness that spreads through the air via coughing, sneezing, or talking. It can remain infectious in the air for up to two hours after an infected person leaves an area. Initial symptoms include fever, runny nose, cough, and red, watery eyes, followed by a characteristic rash. Complications can include pneumonia, brain infection, and death.

According to state data, Pennsylvania has recorded 792 measles cases, including 155 hospitalizations and four deaths. Nationally, there have been 3,471 measles cases this year. Vaccination rates for kindergartners have seen a decline, with 92.4% receiving the MMR vaccine in the 2025-2026 school year, down from 95.2% in the 2019-2020 school year.

Philadelphia Health Commissioner Dr. Palak Raval-Nelson emphasized the importance of vaccination, stating, "Every Philadelphian who is fully vaccinated has little to fear from the situation at CHOP and the airport. Even more importantly, every one of those people is doing their part to help protect our most vulnerable from measles."

The CDC recommends two doses of the Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMR) vaccine: the first between 12 and 15 months of age, and the second between 4 and 6 years of age. The health department encourages residents to visit phila.gov/measles for more information on the virus, the MMR vaccine, and community safety.