A person potentially infected with measles traveled through the Philadelphia International Airport and 30th Street Station earlier this month, city health officials said.

The Philadelphia Department of Public Health said the possible measles exposure was reported at the airport's Terminal A East on Jan. 7, sometime between 7:50 and 11 p.m., and the train station between 8:15 p.m. and 11:25 p.m.

The infected individual then rode the southbound Northeast Regional Amtrak train that was scheduled to leave 30th Street Station at 9:23 p.m. through 11:30 p.m.

The Virginia Department of Health said the infected person who passed through Philadelphia is a preschool-age child who lives in the state's Northern Region. The child was diagnosed with measles after traveling internationally, officials said. The patient also visited a hospital in Fort Belvoir, Virginia, and officials in the state are working to inform people who might have been exposed.

The Maryland Department of Health also issued a warning that the same individual is connected to possible measles exposure around the BWI Thurgood Marshall Airport, though officials said there was no possible exposure identified inside the airport's terminals.  

"We believe there is no threat to the general public associated with this case of measles," Health Commissioner Dr. Palak Raval-Nelson said. "We encourage people who were possibly exposed to take action if they are not protected against measles. Many countries, including travel destinations, are experiencing measles outbreaks, so the potential for travel-related measles cases and subsequent outbreaks in the United States has increased. We strongly encourage parents to get their children fully vaccinated as soon as they are able. People planning to travel outside the United States should speak with their doctor about their travel plans and vaccinations needed."

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, no confirmed measles cases have been reported in Pennsylvania in 2026. However, 16 confirmed cases were reported in 2025 and six were reported in 2024.

What are the symptoms of measles?

Symptoms of measles include fever, runny nose, cough and red, puffy eyes, followed by a rash. 

The virus is considered highly contagious and can spread through the air when an infected person talks, sneezes or coughs.

Measles can live in the air for up to two hours after someone infected with measles leaves the room, according to the health department.