The Virginia Department of Health is investigating two more confirmed cases of measles for people who traveled through Northern Virginia on March 5 and 14.
Both people are Maryland residents who recently traveled together internationally.
Health officials are coordinating an effort to identify people who might have been exposed including contacting passengers on specific flights in Virginia.
Additional exposure sites have been identified in Maryland and DC.
Virginia has not had any reported cases of residents with measles in 2025.
Potential exposure sites in Virginia
Dulles International Airport (IAD) on Wednesday, March 5
- Concourse A, on transportation to the International arrivals building (IAB) and in the baggage claim area between 8 a.m. and 12:30 p.m.
- Concourse A, on transportation to the main terminal and in the baggage claim area between 4 p.m. and 9 p.m.
Ronald Reagan National Airport (DCA) on Friday, March 14
- Terminal shuttle bus between noon and 2:30 p.m.
Washington Area Metro on Friday, March 14
- Yellow Line train from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport station transferring at the L’Enfant Plaza station to the Silver Line Train heading towards the Downtown Largo station between 12:15 p.m. and 3:15 p.m.
The previous measles exposure on March 9 is unrelated to these cases.
Any additional exposure sites identified in Virginia will be posted to the VDH measles website.
VDH: What to do if you were potentially exposed
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 was exposed and considered to be at risk of developing measles should contact their healthcare provider immediately.
- Watch for symptoms for 21 days from the date of your potential exposure.
- If you notice symptoms of measles, immediately isolate yourself by staying home. Contact your healthcare provider right away.
- 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 immunocompromising condition should consult with their healthcare provider if they have questions or develop symptoms.
- 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 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.
About measles
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 14 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 spread 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.
- 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.
More information
Virginia residents with additional questions about their potential exposure can call VDH at (804) 363-2704 or email [email protected].
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Crystal Graham
