NEW JERSEY (PIX11) – New Jersey locals could have been exposed to measles recently at a rest stop, according to the Department of Health.
A non-New Jersey resident with measles recently passed through New Jersey while infectious, according to the department. The person stopped at the Thomas Edison Service Area on the southbound New Jersey Turnpike on April 5 between 8:15 p.m. and 10:45 p.m., officials said.
Anyone who was exposed could develop symptoms as late as April 26. People who think they may have been exposed should call ahead to their health care provider for evaluation. Officials have not traced any positive cases to this possible exposure.
“Measles symptoms include a high fever, cough, runny nose, watery red eyes, and a rash that usually appears between three and five days after symptoms begin,” Health Department officials said.
Health officials previously warned New Jersey residents of potential exposures at Newark Liberty International Airport, a Marriott and Starbucks in Park Ridge, and the Bergen New Bridge Medical Center. Exposed individuals are likely to show symptoms from this exposure by April 17, health officials said.
To see all potential New Jersey measles exposures, click here.
As of April 10, the CDC has confirmed 712 measles cases this year across New York, New Jersey, California, Florida and other states. The CDC confirmed only 285 measles cases in all of 2024.
Measles is highly contagious and can lead to complications including pneumonia and encephalitis, according to the CDC. Measles was declared eliminated from the United States in 2000, but it is brought into the country by unvaccinated travelers.
Emily Rahhal is a digital reporter who has covered New York City since 2023 after reporting in Los Angeles for years. She joined PIX11 in 2024. See more of her work here and follow her on Twitter here.
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