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Wayne County health officials say child not believed to have had measles at DTW

Posted at 5:19 PM, May 05, 2019
and last updated 2019-05-06 18:39:20-04

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention was investigating another possible case of the measles at the Detroit Metropolitan Airport Saturday night, after a child returned home from Las Vegas showing signs of the highly contagious virus.

When the plane landed, the child and child's family were all taken to the hospital to be checked out.

However, according to a statement from the Wayne County Department of Health Veterans and Community Wellness (HVCW), it is not believed that the child had measles at all.

“Based on the assessment of the physician at the hospital, the Wayne County Health Department believes this is not a case of measles. It was determined testing was not needed,” said Dr. Ruta Sharangpani of the Wayne County Department of Health, Veterans, and Community Wellness.

There are now more than 700 confirmed cases of the measles in the U.S. so far this year, and that number continues to grow.

Airports across the country have been on the list of exposure sites several times during the outbreak and now, a DTW representative said early Sunday a child on a flight to Detroit from Las Vegas was exhibiting symptoms of the virus. The plane landed Saturday at 9 p.m.

On Sunday, travelers were doing what they could to avoid any possible contagious germs.

The measles virus has not been officially confirmed in the child who was traveling on a Delta flight. The CDC is currently investigating.

Delta released the below statement regarding the flight.

Delta Flight 401 was met in Detroit by EMS at the request of the crew to assess an individual. Delta takes all health and safety concerns seriously – other customers remained on board with the crew until the Center for Disease Control and Prevention was able to provide guidance to deplane. The CDC has not confirmed a communicable disease in this case.