In a chilling reminder of the looming threat of contagious diseases, a measles patient visited several Washington, D.C. public locations, exposing thousands of travelers during peak cherry blossom season.
An infected individual traveled through Union Station on an Amtrak train, potentially spreading this highly contagious disease throughout the nation’s capital.
The DC Department of Health has confirmed that a measles-infected person arrived in Washington, DC, on Amtrak Northeast Regional 175 last week, traveling from 7:30 p.m. to 1:30 a.m.
Health officials are now scrambling to notify individuals who may have been exposed to this highly contagious disease.
The infected traveler visited multiple public locations while contagious, including Union Station and MedStar Urgent Care in Adams Morgan on March 22 from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m.
This case adds to the alarming nationwide measles outbreak that continues to spread across America.
According to the CDC, 378 measles cases have been reported in 18 states this year alone, with major outbreaks centered in Texas and New Mexico.
This resurgence of a disease once considered eliminated in the United States raises serious concerns about illegal immigration and declining vaccination rates.
The timing of this exposure could not be worse, coinciding with DC’s famous cherry blossom season when millions of visitors flock to the capital.
Families with children and elderly Americans visiting Washington’s monuments and landmarks may have unknowingly been exposed to this dangerous disease that can remain viable in the air for up to two hours after an infected person has left the area.
“Measles is a highly contagious illness that can spread easily through the air when an infected person breathes, coughs, or sneezes,” the Washington’s Department of Health warned.
Although health officials have not released information about the infected individual’s identity or nationality, this case follows a troubling pattern of infectious disease spread that has coincided with the border crisis.
Under the Biden administration’s lax immigration policies, millions of unvetted individuals have entered the country, many without proper medical screening or vaccinations.
This potentially places American citizens at risk of diseases that were previously well-controlled.
Those most vulnerable to severe complications include pregnant women, infants under one year old, and individuals with compromised immune systems.
People are protected if they have received two doses of the MMR vaccine, have had measles, or were born in the United States before 1957.
Health officials are advising anyone potentially exposed and not fully immunized to contact their healthcare provider immediately.
Measles symptoms typically develop 10-14 days after exposure, including fever, runny nose, cough, red eyes, and a distinctive rash.
This incident follows another confirmed case in the District just last July, suggesting a troubling pattern of resurgence for this once-controlled disease.
