New Jersey Health Officials Alert Measles Exposure at Shakira MetLife Concert

New Jersey health officials have issued an alert after a non-resident infected with measles attended Shakira's concert at MetLife Stadium, potentially exposing tens of thousands of attendees. The exposure occurred during the concert held from the evening of May 15 into the early hours of May 16, and symptoms could appear as late as June 6. Officials emphasize the importance of being up to date with the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine, which is the most effective protection against the virus. Measles is highly contagious, spreading through the air and capable of lingering in an area for up to two hours after an infected person leaves. Symptoms include high fever, cough, runny nose, watery red eyes, and a characteristic rash that appears several days after initial symptoms, with serious potential complications, especially for pregnant women. As of mid-May, there have been over 1,000 confirmed measles cases nationwide in 2025, underscoring the ongoing public health risk despite no further cases linked directly to the concert so far.