DENVER — An unvaccinated individual infected with measles who arrived at DIA from an international flight before staying for the night at a nearby hotel and boarding a domestic flight the next morning may have exposed thousands of people to the highly contagious virus last week, state health officials said Thursday.
The individual arrived at Gate A-27 in concourse A at 5:10 p.m. on Tuesday May 13, walked across the bridge to international customs and picked up their bag at the international baggage claim 3 on the main terminal, according to officials from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE).
The unvaccinated traveler then rode the Quality Inn and Suites shuttle to the Quality Inn and Suites Denver International Airport hotel at around 6 p.m. before checking in at the hotel and riding the elevator to their room.
State health officials said the infected person spent the night at the hotel and checked out the next morning, leaving the hotel at around 5 a.m. and riding the hotel's shuttle before arriving at the airport about 30 minutes later. The individual then passed through the main terminal, the train to the gates, and concourse B before boarding a flight that took off from Gage B-86 at around 10 a.m. on Wednesday, May 14.
Dates and locations of potential exposure
CDPHE officials said Thursday the individual may have exposed thousands of people at the airport between 5-8 p.m. on Tuesday, May 13, and between 5:30-10 a.m. on Wednesday, May 14.
Inside the shuttle to and from the Quality Inn and Suites hotel near DIA, the unvaccinated traveler may have exposed people between 6-8 p.m. on Tuesday, May 13, and between 5-7:30 a.m. on Wednesday, May 14.
At the hotel, guests could have been exposed between 6:15 p.m. on Tuesday, May 13, to 7 a.m. on Wednesday, May 14.
While interactions with other people may have been brief, measles is a highly contagious disease that spreads through the air and can remain airborne for up to two hours – meaning the individual may have exposed thousands of others to the virus, even if they were nowhere near the infected person at the time, state health officials said.
“This situation underscores the critical importance of vaccination. Staying up to date on vaccinations and being aware of health risks when traveling are important ways to protect yourself and your community,” Dr. Rachel Herlihy, the state epidemiologist and deputy chief medical officer at the CDPHE, said in a statement Thursday.
Herlihy said the CDPHE was working “swiftly” to identify and notify anyone who may have been exposed. She added anyone who was exposed to the case on either of the flights will be notified directly by their state or local public health agency.
What to do if you believe you were exposed
Anyone who believes they may have been exposed — especially those who have not been vaccinated with the MMR vaccine — should monitor for symptoms for 21 days and avoid public gatherings or high-risk settings, health officials said in the news release.
Symptoms to watch out for include anything from a fever, a cough, a runny nose, and red, watery eyes that develop into a rash that starts on the face and then spreads to the rest of the body about three to five days after symptoms first start. A person with measles is contagious four days before and four days after the rash appears.
If you were at these locations during the exposure window and develop symptoms, the CDPHE asks that you immediately contact your health care provider by phone before trying to seek treatment to avoid other people from becoming potentially infected with the virus. If you do not have a provider, call an urgent care center or emergency department and explain that you may have been exposed to measles.
The CDPHE said people who are susceptible to measles and were exposed either at the airport or the nearby hotel may develop symptoms through Wednesday, June 4.
People who have received the full series of the MMR vaccine are well-protected against measles, as scientific data spanning more than 50 years shows the two-dose series of the shot protects people against infection about 97% of the time. In rare cases, about 3% of people vaccinated against measles can get infected with the virus, but vaccinated individuals will usually develop milder symptoms and are less likely to spread it to others, according to state health officials.
People who got vaccinated against measles before 1968 should talk to their health care provider about possibly getting a booster as the vaccine used before that year wasn't as effective.
Unvaccinated people exposed to the virus can get the MMR vaccine 72 hours after exposure (but before symptoms are present) to prevent an infection, according to health officials.
This is the second time this week that the CDPHE has issued an alert of potential exposure to the virus. On Wednesday, the CDPHE warned Coloradans who may have stayed in Pueblo in early May to monitor for symptoms after a tourist driving across the state stayed at the Holiday Inn Express there. People susceptible to measles who were exposed in Pueblo may develop symptoms through Saturday, May 31.
So far this year, Colorado has reported five measles cases amid a multi-state outbreak in the U.S.: Three in Denver, and one each in Pueblo and Pagosa Springs. As of Friday, the CDC had confirmed a total of 1,024 measles cases — the second worst year since the disease was eliminated 25 years ago. Two children and one adult have died in the current nationwide outbreak; none were vaccinated against measles.
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The United States Air Force Academy graduation commencement speaker announced
The Secretary of the Air Force will be this year's speaker at next week's Air Force Academy graduation.
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