A person infected with measles flew into Boston Logan Airport from Florida last week, city and state public health officials announced Wednesday.
The individual was in Terminal C “shortly” after midnight on April 14, after traveling in on JetBlue Airways flight 470 from Fort Lauderdale, the Boston Public Health Commission and state Department of Public Health said.
People who were at Terminal C from 12 a.m. to 2:30 a.m. on April 14 may have been exposed to measles, which is a highly contagious respiratory virus that can lead to life-threatening illnesses. Officials said they are working to identify and notify individuals who could be impacted, and urged unvaccinated people with exposures to contact their health care providers “immediately.”
“This case of measles underscores the continued importance of obtaining the MMR vaccine,” Dr. Bisola Ojikutu, Boston’s public health commissioner, said. “The MMR vaccine is highly effective at preventing measles infection and also protects against mumps and rubella. This vaccine is the best tool we have to protect ourselves and our communities from serious illness.”
Some 94% of children in Suffolk County are fully vaccinated against measles, and immunized individualized have a low chance of contracting the virus, officials said.
Massachusetts recorded its first two measles cases among Bay State residents earlier this year, including a greater Boston resident who had traveled internationally.
Cases continue to surge across the country, with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reporting 19 new outbreaks in 2026. As of April 16, there were 1,748 confirmed cases nationally, with the vast majority linked to outbreaks.
Alison Kuznitz is a reporter for State House News Service and State Affairs Pro Massachusetts. Reach her at akuznitz@stateaffairs.com.
