Travelers may have been exposed to measles at a Pennsylvania Turnpike service plaza in Westmoreland County.
The Pennsylvania Department of Health says someone who doesn’t live in the state tested positive for measles and may have exposed others to the virus at the New Stanton Service Plaza on the westbound Pennsylvania Turnpike in Westmoreland County on Aug. 17.
Exposure areas inside the service plaza include the Burger King, Starbucks, Sunoco, 7-11, restrooms and dining area.
Anyone at the plaza on Aug. 17 is urged to check their vaccination status and monitor for symptoms. Officials say those who are unvaccinated are most at-risk for infection.
Measles is a highly contagious virus that can spread through breaths, coughs or sneezes. Symptoms include fever, cough, runny nose and irritated eyes, followed by a rash that starts on the head and spreads downward. Symptoms typically appear seven to 21 days after exposure.
Measles can cause severe health complications, including pneumonia and brain swelling, with nearly 20% of infected individuals requiring hospitalization.
State health officials emphasized that receiving two doses of the MMR vaccine provides 97% lifetime protection against the virus.
Anyone experiencing symptoms or suspecting a measles exposure should contact a health care provider or call the Department of Health toll-free hotline at 877-PA-HEALTH (877-724-3258).
As of Wednesday afternoon, Pennsylvania is reporting 540 measles cases this year -- 119 of which were reported in the last week.
So far, 91 people have been hospitalized and two unvaccinated Lancaster County residents died from measles-associated causes.
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