Boise Airport measles alert

Idaho health officials warned that a traveler with measles passed through Boise Airport on March 29, creating a possible exposure window inside the terminal. (healthandwelfare.idaho.gov) The Idaho Department of Health and Welfare said the person was at the airport between 1:30 a.m. and 7:40 a.m. on Sunday, March 29. Local public health districts said they are notifying Idahoans who shared flights with that traveler. (healthandwelfare.idaho.gov) Measles spreads through the air when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or talks, and Idaho officials said people who are not protected can catch it up to two hours after that person leaves the area. Early symptoms include fever, runny nose, cough, and red, watery eyes, followed by a rash. (healthandwelfare.idaho.gov) The airport alert landed in a state with the lowest reported kindergarten measles, mumps, and rubella vaccination coverage in the country for the 2024-2025 school year. Johns Hopkins researchers, citing Centers for Disease Control and Prevention school data, put Idaho at 78.5%, while national measles, mumps, and rubella coverage was 92.5%. (publichealth.jhu.edu) (cdc.gov) Utah, Idaho’s neighbor to the south, remains the region’s biggest measles hotspot. Utah’s health department reported 583 outbreak cases as of April 7, including 386 diagnosed in 2026, with counts updated every Tuesday. (epi.utah.gov) Utah health officials also warn that measles virus can hang in the air for up to two hours after an infected person leaves, which is why airports, clinics, and other indoor public spaces can generate long exposure lists. Their response page says the state adds new exposure locations throughout the week as they are confirmed. (epi.utah.gov) Idaho’s alert did not say the Boise traveler was an Idaho resident, only that the person was moving through the airport. The state told people who may have been exposed to watch for symptoms and said measles can lead to pneumonia, brain infection, and death in some patients. (healthandwelfare.idaho.gov) Idaho officials are urging people who plan to travel, especially by air, to check their vaccination status with a doctor. They said the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine is routinely given at 12 to 15 months and again at 4 to 6 years. (healthandwelfare.idaho.gov)