March 12, 2025 – Health officials have confirmed that passengers arriving from China are testing positive for the highly contagious disease. Among the latest incidents, a second individual traveling through Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) has been diagnosed with measles, raising alarms about potential outbreaks in one of the nation’s busiest travel hubs. This case follows reports of an infected child passing through New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), underscoring the growing risk posed by international travel amid declining vaccination rates.
The most recent case at LAX involved a Los Angeles County resident who arrived on a China Airlines flight (CAL8/CI8) on March 5, 2025. According to the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, the infected passenger was present in Terminal B between 7 p.m. and 10:40 p.m., potentially exposing countless travelers and airport staff to the virus. “This is the second measles patient to travel through LAX this year,” the department noted in a statement, referencing an earlier case in February involving an infant arriving on a Korean Air flight [Daily Mail, March 12, 2025]. Following their arrival, the individual visited a nail salon in North Hollywood and a grocery store in El Monte, further amplifying the risk of community spread.
Meanwhile, in New York, an unvaccinated child arriving from China on a China Airlines flight tested positive for measles after passing through JFK’s Terminal 4 on February 25, 2025. The Pennsylvania Department of Health reported that the child subsequently boarded an overnight shuttle bus to North Philadelphia, potentially exposing passengers at multiple points along the journey. “The measles virus can linger in the air and on surfaces for up to two hours,” health officials warned, highlighting the disease’s exceptional contagiousness [Hindustan Times, March 4, 2025].
These incidents are part of a broader surge in measles cases across the United States, with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reporting 222 cases nationwide as of March 6, 2025. Many of these cases have been linked to international travel, with China—where measles has not been eradicated—emerging as a notable source. Unlike the U.S., which achieved measles elimination status in 2000, China continues to report low but persistent numbers of cases annually [Daily Mail, March 12, 2025]. The two China Airlines flights tied to the LAX cases this year have intensified scrutiny on travel from the region.
Health experts attribute the uptick in cases to declining vaccination rates, both domestically and globally, since the COVID-19 pandemic. The measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine, which is 97% effective with two doses, remains the cornerstone of prevention. Yet, in the U.S., vaccination coverage has slipped below the 95% threshold needed to halt the virus’s spread in many communities [Los Angeles Times, February 28, 2025]. Dr. Muntu Davis, Los Angeles County Health Officer, emphasized the urgency of immunization: “Measles spreads easily through the air and on surfaces, and a person infected can pass it on before they feel sick. Getting the MMR vaccine is the best way to protect yourself and stop the spread of this dangerous disease” [Daily Mail, March 12, 2025].
The implications of these airport-related cases are significant. Measles can lead to severe complications, including pneumonia, encephalitis, and death, particularly in young children, pregnant individuals, and those with weakened immune systems. In Texas, an unvaccinated child’s death last month marked the first U.S. fatality from measles in a decade, spotlighting the stakes of the current outbreak [Daily Mail, March 7, 2025]. At LAX, officials are urging anyone who was in Terminal B on March 5 between 7 p.m. and 10:40 p.m. to check their vaccination status and monitor for symptoms—fever, cough, and a telltale rash—for 21 days. Similarly, JFK travelers from February 25 are being advised to remain vigilant.
As the U.S. grapples with this resurgence, airports like LAX and JFK—key gateways for international arrivals—find themselves on the front lines. Three major U.S. airports, including Washington Dulles International Airport, have issued measles alerts this year alone [Daily Mail, March 12, 2025]. With no evidence of a widespread outbreak in China itself, experts suggest these cases reflect isolated importations rather than a regional epidemic. Still, the pattern has prompted calls for heightened screening and vaccination efforts at ports of entry.
Comments