How is measles spread?
Measles is highly contagious (spreads easily). When an infected person sneezes or coughs, droplets containing the virus spray into the air. Those droplets can land in other people’s noses or throats when they breathe or if they put their fingers in their mouth or nose after handling an infected surface. The measles virus can survive for 2 hours in air or on surfaces. It is also important to know that people with measles are infectious (can spread the disease) from 4 days before to 4 days after the rash appears. Thus, an infected person can spread the disease before knowing he or she is infected.
