A second Arapahoe County resident who was likely exposed to measles on a flight that landed at Denver International Airport has tested positive for the disease, Colorado public health officials said Thursday.
The state’s seventh measles case of the year was confirmed in a vaccinated adult who was a passenger on Turkish Airlines flight 201 from Istanbul, which landed at DIA on May 13.
An out-of-state passenger on the flight had measles and was at the airport, a hotel shuttle and a nearby Quality Inn and Suites on May 13 and 14, according to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.
An Arapahoe County child younger than 5 who was also a passenger on the flight previously tested positive for measles.
Public health officials are contacting passengers and crew members who were seated near the person who had measles as well as all children who were sitting on their parents’ laps.
People who visited parts of Denver, Aurora, Greenwood Village and Evergreen last week and weekend may have been exposed, officials said.
Known exposure locations:
- Casa Vallarta, 4002 S. Parker Road in Aurora, from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. May 22.
- Colorado Athletic Club Denver Tech Center, 5555 DTC Parkway in Greenwood Village, from 4 to 8 p.m. May 23.
- Country Fair Garden Center, 7150 Leetsdale Drive #414 in Denver, from 10:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Saturday.
- Golden Saigon Restaurant, 2648 S. Parker Road, Unit 2 in Aurora, from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m. Saturday.
- Comfort Suites Golden West, 29300 U.S. 40 in Evergreen, from 1 to 6 p.m. Sunday and 10:30 p.m. Sunday until 8:30 a.m. Monday.
- Evergreen Wine and Liquor, 29017 Hotel Way in Evergreen, from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. Sunday.
Anyone who may have been exposed should monitor themselves for symptoms for 21 days or through June 17. Symptoms can include fever, cough, runny nose, red eyes and a rash that usually starts several days later on the face and spreads.
Measles is highly contagious but preventable with the MMR vaccine, public health officials said in a news release. It’s rare for a vaccinated person who is exposed to get the disease — that happens in only about three out of 100 cases, and symptoms are usually milder and less contagious.
Colorado has confirmed six other measles cases this year, the most since 1996, including in Pueblo, Denver and Archuleta counties.
Colorado and Arapahoe County public health officials are hosting free MMR vaccine clinics for people exposed to measles, including from 9:30 to 11:30 a.m. Friday at Altura Plaza, 15400 E. 14th Place in Aurora and 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at Aurora Community Connection, 9801 E. Colfax Ave. in Aurora. The clinic will be in the courtyard behind the building.
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