Third Measles Case Confirmed In Northern VA

VIRGINIA — The state’s third measles case of the year has been confirmed by Virginia health officials, who are seeking the public’s help in identifying anyone who may have been exposed to the disease while at Washington Dulles International Airport and the Washington Area Metro on Sunday, June 8.

On June 14, the Virginia Department of Health reported an international traveler who was visiting the Washington, D.C. area had a confirmed case of measles and may have exposed passengers on specific flights to the illness.

These are the date, time, and location of the potential measles exposure, according to VDH:

• Dulles International Airport on Sunday, June 8:
  • Concourse A, on transportation to the International Arrivals Building (IAB), and in the baggage claim area between 10:30 a.m. and 1 p.m.
• Washington Area Metro on Sunday, June 8:
  • Silver Line Train from Dulles International Airport station transferring at the Metro Center Station to the Red Line Train heading toward Shady Grove Station between 11:30 a.m. and 2:30 p.m.

For more information on measles cases and exposures in Virginia, visit the VDH Measles website.

Here's what to do if you were at these locations on the day and time specified:

• If you have received two doses of a measles-containing vaccine, or were born before 1957, you are protected and do not need to take any action.
• If you have never received a measles containing vaccine (either the measles, mumps and rubella [MMR] vaccine or a measles-only vaccine which is available in other countries), you may be at risk of developing measles. Anyone who might have been exposed and is considered to be at risk of developing measles should contact their healthcare provider immediately.
• Non-immune individuals may qualify for post-exposure treatments. People who might have been exposed and are not immune should contact their health care provider or local health department immediately to coordinate administration of post-exposure prophylaxis.
• Watch for symptoms for 21 days after the date of your potential exposure. If you notice symptoms of measles, immediately isolate yourself by staying home. Contact your healthcare provider right away. If you need to seek healthcare, call ahead before going to your healthcare provider’s office or the emergency room to notify them that you may have been exposed to measles and ask them to call the local health department. This call will help protect other patients and staff.
• Anyone with an immuno-compromising condition should consult with their healthcare provider if they have questions or develop symptoms.
• 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 the highest level of protection, contact your healthcare provider about getting a second vaccine dose.

The state's first measles case was reported in April in Northern Virginia. The second case was a measles patient between ages 13 and 17, lives in the Northwest Region and had recently traveled internationally. For the latest information on measles cases in Virginia, visit the Reportable Disease Monthly Surveillance Report.

VDH shared information about how to identify if you have been infected with measles and how to check your immunization status.

Measles is a highly contagious illness that can spread easily through the air when an infected person breathes, coughs, or sneezes. Measles symptoms usually appear in two stages. In the first stage, most people have a fever of greater than 101 degrees, runny nose, watery red eyes, and a cough. These symptoms usually start seven to fourteen days after being exposed. The second stage starts three to five days after symptoms start, when a rash begins to appear on the face and spreads to the rest of the body. People with measles are contagious from four days before the rash appears through four days after the rash appeared.

Measles is preventable through a safe and effective MMR vaccine. Two doses of the vaccine are given to provide lifetime protection. Virginia has high measles vaccination rates, with approximately 95% of kindergarteners fully vaccinated against measles. However, infants who are too young to be vaccinated, and others who are not vaccinated, are very susceptible to infection if they are exposed to measles. Infants six months through 11 months of age who will be traveling internationally, or to an outbreak setting, should receive one dose of MMR vaccine prior to travel. Talk to your healthcare provider if you have questions about the MMR vaccine.

To check your immunization status, call your healthcare provider or request your vaccination records using the VDH Immunization Record Request Form. Virginia residents with additional questions about their potential exposure can email epi_response@vdh.virginia.gov or contact your local health department.

Get The Latest Local News (For Free!) With One Quick Tap