Officials Warn of Measles Exposure at Shakira’s New Jersey Show

Health officials are sounding the alarm after a person infected with measles attended a packed Shakira concert in New Jersey.

The New Jersey Department of Health (NJDOH) issued a warning on May 20, stating that “a newly identified case of measles in a non-NJ resident who attended a concert in NJ while infectious” had been confirmed. The individual went to Shakira’s Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran World Tour show at MetLife Stadium on May 15.

The concert, held in East Rutherford, was completely sold out. MetLife Stadium can hold more than 82,000 people, and officials say anyone who was there between 7:30 p.m. and 1 a.m. may have been exposed to the virus.

Measles spreads through coughing and sneezing and can remain in the air for up to two hours after an infected person leaves, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

At this time, no additional cases have been linked to the concert. However, the NJDOH says symptoms of measles can take time to appear and may develop as late as June 6.

So far this year, the CDC has confirmed 1,024 measles cases across 14 outbreaks. Many are in children—303 cases in kids under 5, and 388 in those aged 5 to 19.

The CDC emphasizes that measles “isn’t just a little rash,” warning it can be “dangerous,” especially for babies and young children. About 1 in 5 people with the virus are hospitalized. Symptoms include a high fever, cough, runny nose, and red, watery eyes.

In some cases, measles can lead to serious complications like pneumonia, encephalitis (swelling of the brain), and even death. Three people in the U.S. have died from measles so far this year.

Health officials are urging anyone who attended the concert and is feeling sick to contact a healthcare provider.