An Unvaccinated Child With Measles Travelled Through the Portland Airport and Two Area Hospitals While Contagious

A Clark County child with measles recently traveled through the Portland International Airport and two area hospitals while contagious.

Anyone who was in the Portland International Airport, specifically concourse E, on Thursday, Nov. 14, between 10:30 am and 12 pm; in the PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center in Vancouver on Nov. 14 between 12:45 pm and 5:05 pm; or at the Randall Children's Hospital Saturday, Nov. 16, from 11:50 pm to Sunday, Nov. 17, at 4:25 am, could be exposed to the illness.

The child with measles had recently returned from a country experiencing a measles outbreak, and the child was unvaccinated, according to local health officials.

Anyone who may have been exposed to the virus and is experiencing symptoms—fever, cough, runny nose, red eyes and a body rash—can get "just-in-time" medication called immunoglobulin through Friday, Nov. 22.

"This is a reminder of how important it is to get vaccines up to date before leaving the country," Multnomah County deputy health officer Jennifer Vines said in a statement. "Immunization is one of the best ways to stay well while you travel."

This is the second time in two months that a person contracted measles in another country and brought it back to Portland.

Clark County has had 72 confirmed measles cases so far this year. Last year, a widespread measles outbreak in the Pacific Northwest caused Washington Gov. Jay Inslee to declare a state of emergency.

According to public health officials, two doses of the measles vaccine are about 97 percent effective at preventing contracting the virus.