Virginia officials announced last week that there was a confirmed case of measles at Washington Dulles International Airport, but are now trying to track down people who may have been exposed to the highly contagious virus.
The Virginia Department of Health said Sunday that confirmed cases have been notified, including the return of individuals from their March 5 international trip.
Authorities added that potential exposure sites include transport to Terminal A, the main terminal and transport to baggage claim area between 4pm and 9pm that day.
Check out our full interview with the doctor. Marc Siegel and RFK Jr. Fox Nation
Health officials are working to identify people who may have been exposed to the virus. This involves individuals at the airport and passengers on certain flights.
The Virginia Department of Health said travelers arriving on international flights on March 5 could have exposed other travelers to the highly contagious virus, and that they received a confirmed case of measles at Dulles International Airport. (istock)
This is the latest incident involving measles spreading throughout the United States.
A student in Miami-Dade County, Florida, tested positive for the disease last week, and on Wednesday, Florida surgeon general Dr. Joseph Radapop said there could be “more” cases.
RFK recommends measles vaccines for community immunity while supporting personal choices
Meanwhile, Texas has reported the highest number of measles cases since January, with 198 cases marking those with 23 hospitalizations as of Friday morning, according to the Texas Health Services (DSHS).
One child from Texas and one adult from New Mexico have died of measles. (istock)
Most cases were detected in unvaccinated school-age children, including one child who died of the disease.
New Mexico reported the first measles death in an unvaccinated adult on Thursday, state officials said.
In the recent Fox News Digital Op-Ed, HHS secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. shared “deep concerns” about the occurrence of measles and its rapid escalation.
Is MMR vaccine safe for children? Dr. Nicole Saffier addresses concerns as measles cases rise
Kennedy said there is no approved antiviral for measles, but the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a statement last week in favour of vitamin A administered under physician supervision as supportive care.
Previous studies published in the International Journal of Epidemiology have shown that vitamin A, along with measles vaccines, could be an effective intervention to prevent measles death in children.
International travelers who jumped into Virginia’s Dulles Airport on March 5th may have exposed other passengers and travelers to measles. (istock)
Kennedy reiterated the importance of maintaining nutrition and taking various vitamins such as A, B12, C, D, and E.
He also told Fox News that he would recommend a measles vaccine for immunity in the community during the outbreak, but he also continues to defend his personal choice.
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“We’re going to do the right thing for Americans,” Kennedy told Dr. Mark Siegel, senior medical analyst at Fox News.
“We will be honest with the American people for the first time in history about all our tests, all our research, what we know, what we don’t know.
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Still, the CDC recommends that “all children get two MMR (measles-mumps-rubera) vaccines,” according to its website, adding that “an adult who appears to have presumed evidence of immunity should get at least one MMR vaccine.”
Brie Stimson and Angelica Stabile of Fox News Digital contributed to this report.
