Measles exposure confirmed at KCI, North Kansas City Hospital
KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Clay County health officials are warning of a potential measles exposure that happened earlier this month at the Kansas City International Airport.
The Clay County Public Health Center was notified of a confirmed case of measles in a
Liberty, Missouri resident who was at the Kansas City International Airport on Thursday,
January 4 and North Kansas City Hospital from January 5–6.
According to the health department, potential measles exposures include:
- Anyone in Terminal B, general concourse or baggage claim on the evening of January 4, 6:15 p.m. – 9 p.m. Health officials are contacting potentially exposed passengers of the specific flight.
- North Kansas City Hospital Emergency Department waiting area/patient processing/observation on 1/5/24 from 8:26 a.m. to 4:15 p.m.
- North Kansas City Hospital 2nd Floor Admission Unit on Jan. 5 from 2:15 to 8:30 p.m.
- North Kansas City Hospital 8th Floor Pavilion Medical & Surgical Patient Unit on Jan. 5 from 6:30 p.m. to 1/6/24 8:30 p.m.
Health officials say if you are up to date on measles, mumps and rubella vaccine, risk of getting sick is very low.
Those not vaccinated or infants under the age of 1 who are too young to be vaccinated are at the highest risk for contracting measles, according to the health department.
Health officials say anyone who was exposed should watch for symptoms of measles until January 27.
The symptoms of measles generally include a rash that appears 7-21 days after exposure.
Measles symptoms typically begins with:
- A high fever
- Cough
- Runny nose
- Red, watery eyes
Health officials say three to five days after symptoms begin, a rash starts to appear. The rash usually looks like flat red spots that break out first on the face, near the hairline and spread downward to the neck, arms, legs and feet.
Measles is a highly infectious respiratory disease caused by a virus. Measles is spread through the air by breathing, coughing or sneezing. Measles can be spread to others from four days before to four days after the rash appears. Measles cannot be spread to others by people who do not have the disease, according to the health department.