Health officials have identified a new measles exposure at Philadelphia International Airport, the second recent exposure to the highly contagious virus in Pennsylvania’s largest city.
A person with measles was at the airport from 7:25 p.m. on Sept. 13 until 12:05 a.m. on Sept. 14, the Philadelphia Department of Public Health said Friday.
The individual traveled through terminals B and F and visited areas linked to terminals C, D, and E, according to the department.
“The individual with measles was traveling through Philadelphia and did not leave the airport,” health officials said in a statement.
The airport alert came only days after a separate measles exposure was reported at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.
Parts of the hospital, including areas of its neonatal intensive care unit, were exposed to measles on Sept. 11, the department said in an advisory issued last week.
People who were at Philadelphia International Airport during the exposure period and are not immune to measles, do not know their vaccination status, are infants, are pregnant and not immune, or are immunocompromised should contact a health provider “as soon as possible,” officials advised.
Anyone who visited the affected airport areas during the specified times should determine whether they are protected against measles.
“The Health Department is encouraging people who were exposed to check their vaccination status and watch for symptoms,” the statement said.
As of Sunday, Pennsylvania had recorded 792 measles cases, including 155 hospitalizations and four deaths, according to state data.
The US has reported 3,471 measles cases this year. CDC data show that 92.4% of kindergartners received the MMR vaccine during the 2025-2026 school year.
That vaccination rate is down from 95.2% during the 2019-2020 school year.
Measles spreads through the air when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or talks. The virus can infect an unvaccinated person for up to two hours after an infected individual has left a room or other shared airspace.
Early symptoms may include fever, a runny nose, cough, and red or watery eyes, followed by a rash. In serious cases, measles can cause pneumonia, brain inflammation, and death.
The CDC recommends two doses of the MMR vaccine: the first between 12 and 15 months of age and the second between 4 and 6 years old.
“This week’s measles exposures are a reminder of how important it is for all of us to be up to date on our vaccinations,” Philadelphia Health Commissioner Dr. Palak Raval-Nelson said in a statement.
“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,” Raval-Nelson added.
“With outbreaks continuing in Pennsylvania and other places, this is even more important. I encourage everyone to visit phila.gov/measles to learn more about measles, the MMR vaccine, and what they can do to keep themselves, their families, and their community safe.”
