Infectious disease alert reported for Newark Airport passengers

NEWARK, New Jersey -- Health officials are warning passengers who made their way through Newark Airport that they may have been exposed to a highly contagious disease.

The New Jersey Department of Health says an international traveler with a confirmed case of measles arrived at Terminal C at Newark Airport on January 2 and departed for Indianapolis from a domestic terminal, officials say. The person may have gone to other areas of the airport.

Anyone who was at Newark Airport on that day between the hours of 6:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. may have been exposed to measles. If infected, symptoms could show up as late as January 23.

Measles can be easily spread through the air when someone coughs or sneezes or when they come in contact with mucus or saliva from an infected person.

Measles symptoms include rash, high fever, cough, runny nose and red, watery eyes. It can cause serious complications such as pneumonia, encephalitis (swelling of the brain,) and in pregnant women can lead to miscarriage, premature birth or a low-birth-weight baby.

Anyone who believes they are infected is urged to go to the doctor or an emergency department.

New Jersey health departments are also working to notify passengers who were potentially exposed on the infected passenger's flight.

For more information on the measles, CLICK HERE.