Measles cases confirmed at four major US airports across country amid peak holiday travel

A Massachusetts Department of Public Health (MDPH) spokesperson said the department typically learns of potential measles cases from state healthcare providers or from other public health agencies, including the CDC, when the infection was first diagnosed elsewhere.

MDPH determines and validates exposure locations and timelines through a combination of patient interviews and reviews of travel itineraries. When exposures may have occurred in public settings such as airports, the agency works closely with relevant authorities.

"Determining locations and times of potential exposure for the public is frequently done in coordination with other authorities," the spokesperson told Fox News Digital.

A New Jersey Department of Health (NJDOH) spokesperson told Fox News Digital that measles cases are immediately reportable. 

"[This] means they are to be reported upon suspicion to the jurisdiction where the individual resides," the spokesperson said. "If a clinician suspects measles based on symptoms, they must report it, even without laboratory results."

Confirming a measles case requires either laboratory testing or evidence of direct contact with an established case, according to the NJDOH.

State authorities work with the local health department to conduct "a thorough case investigation," during which the individual is interviewed. 

"A suspected case is a situation with a clinical presentation that could be measles, but laboratory testing is not yet completed," the NJDOH spokesperson said. "A probable case is a case with symptoms consistent with measles (and no other more likely diagnosis), but without confirmatory testing or a known link to a confirmed case."

"The local health department works with the individual to develop a complete and accurate timeline of potentially exposed locations."

"MDPH requests that providers send two specimen types to the State Public Health Laboratory for testing - nasopharyngeal (nasal) swab or oropharyngeal (throat) swab for PCR and serum for IgM (blood) testing," the spokesperson told Fox News Digital.

If a case is later ruled out or reclassified, public health advisories may be revised as more information becomes available.

As of Dec. 30, there were 2,065 measles cases reported in the U.S., according to the CDC's latest data. Eleven percent of those cases required hospitalization. There were three confirmed deaths from measles in 2025. 

The rash usually begins as flat red spots that appear on the face at the hairline and spreads downward to the neck, torso, arms, legs and feet.

They should also monitor for symptoms and avoid contact with others.