Potential Measles Exposure Reported In Ashburn, Falls Church

NORTHERN VIRGINIA — Health officials in northern Virginia are investigating potential measles exposures in Ashburn and Falls Church. The Virginia Department of Health said the possible exposures occurred at medical facilities on Friday, Sunday, and Monday.

The health department said an unvaccinated child contracted measles while travelling internationally and brought the infection to northern Virginia. The child is in stable condition and improving, officials said on Wednesday.

VDH officials said that the potential measles exposures occurred at the following locations and times:

• From 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday, May 13 at the Kaiser Permanente Ashburn Medical Center at 433480 Yukon Drive in Ashburn
• From 5:30 p.m. on Sunday, May 15 to to 2 a.m. on Monday, May 16 at the Inova Fairfax Hospital Pediatric and Adult Emergency Departments at 3300 Gallows Road in Falls Church
• From 5 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. on Monday, May 16 at the Inova Fairfax Hospital Pediatric and Adult Emergency Departments at 3300 Gallows Road in Falls Church

"Outside of these specific locations and times, it is currently believed that the risk to the community is low," the Virginia Department of Health said in a news release.

Anyone who believes they may have been exposed in Ashburn can contact the Loudoun call center at 703-737-8300. Anyone who thinks they were exposed in Falls Church can call the Fairfax call center at 202-851-9616.

Measles is a contagious disease which spreads through coughing, sneezing, or other contact with droplets from the infected person's nose, mouth, or throat. Symptoms typically appear in two stages, the health department said.

In the first stage, the infected person contracts a fever of greater than 101 degrees, runny nose, watery red eyes, and a cough. The second stage begins between the third and seventh days when the person gets a rash on their face that spreads throughout their body.

The Virginia Department of Health outlined the following suggestions for people who may have been exposed to measles at the medical facilities in the past week:

• If you have received two doses of a measles containing vaccine (either the measles, mumps and rubella [MMR] vaccine or a measles only vaccine which is available in other countries) you are protected and do not need to take any action
• If you have received only one dose of a measles containing vaccine, you are very likely to be
  protected and your risk of being infected with measles from any of these exposures is very low. However, to achieve complete immunity, contact your health care provider about getting a second vaccine dose.
• If you have never received a measles containing vaccine nor had a documented case of measles, you may be at risk of getting measles from this exposure. Contact your local health department or health care provider for advice. If you notice the symptoms of measles, stay home and away from others, and immediately call your primary health care provider or health department to discuss further care. Call ahead before going to the medical office or the emergency room and tell them that you were exposed to measles.

The Virginia Department of Health recommends that everyone old enough to receive a measles vaccine does so before travelling internationally. Infants who are not old enough to receive the vaccine should avoid traveling to areas with measles, the health department said.

More information about measles is available on the VDH's website.