SF Commuter May Have Exposed Thousands to Measles

A person infected with measles used San Francisco's Bay Area Rapid Transit system for three days last week, and health officials say the risk of commuters contracting the disease is low—but the number of people potentially exposed is very high. Officials say the infected person, a LinkedIn employee, traveled between his home in Contra Costa County and the company's San Francisco offices while infected on Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday last week, commuting during rush hours and using the Lafayette station in the East Bay and San Francisco's Montgomery station, reports the San Francisco Chronicle.

Because the measles virus can linger in the air for up to two hours, health officials warn that tens of thousands of BART riders could have been exposed to the virus, Reuters reports. The infected person also visited the E&O Kitchen and Bar in San Francisco on Wednesday evening last week, authorities say. They indicate that people who have been vaccinated probably don't need to worry, but any BART riders who show symptoms of measles should contact a doctor immediately, reports USA Today. (As the outbreak traced to Disneyland continues to spread, authorities in California have warned the public that "measles parties" are a very bad idea.)