FILE: The international terminal at San Francisco Airport.

Travelers at the often bustling international terminal at San Francisco Airport may have been exposed to the highly contagious measles virus days before the start of the World Cup, according to a news release from the Santa Clara County Public Health Department.

The department warned that a person with measles traveled through multiple areas of SFO on June 8, including the international terminal, passport control, customs and the baggage claim area between 8:30 and 11 a.m. On the same day, between the hours of 8 and 10 p.m., the individual also visited two markets in San Jose: a Trader Joe’s store at 635 Coleman Ave. and International Halal Market at 960 E. Santa Clara St. 

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Measles is a respiratory virus that can spread via airborne particles. The virus is so infectious that it can infect 90% of people who aren’t protected through either vaccination or a previous infection. Even when a sickened person leaves an area, the airborne droplets can infect unvaccinated people for up to two hours, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

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