The Anchorage Health Department has announced that a person who traveled to Anchorage on Oct. 13 was diagnosed with measles. According to a news release from the department, the person isolated after they arrived but could have exposed people at airports in Anchorage, Seattle and Las Vegas.
This is the second confirmed measles in Anchorage this year. In May, an unvaccinated Anchorage youth tested positive for the virus.
The traveler was unvaccinated, according to the department, and arrived from an area of the U.S. with a “substantial measles outbreak.”
According to the department, people who are up-to-date on their MMR, or Measles Mumps Rubella, vaccine are unlikely to develop measles. Alaskans can check their vaccination records on the Docket application or by contacting their provider.
The best way to prevent measles is by getting the MMR vaccine, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The two-shot series is usually given to children first at 12-15 months and then between ages 4 and 6.
The person with measles likely exposed people in airports on Oct. 13 at these times and locations.
- Ted Stevens International Airport in Anchorage, 4 p.m.-8 p.m.
- Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, 11 a.m.-2 p.m.
- Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas, 6:30 a.m.-7:30 a.m.
The Health Department asks that anyone potentially exposed who isn't fully vaccinated stay away from large gatherings or vulnerable people from Oct. 20 until Nov. 3.
You can find up-to-date information and guidance on the Anchorage Health Department’s website.
