Image courtesy of Virginia Dept. of Health
Measles
The Alexandria Health Department (AHD) is advising residents about potential exposures to measles in northern Virginia. Full details are available in a news release from the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) titled, “Virginia Health Officials Investigating a Confirmed Measles Case in Northern Region.”
VDH is reporting the state’s second measles case of 2026. The patient is a preschool-age child (0-4 years) in the Northern Region who recently traveled internationally. Virginia health officials are coordinating an effort to identify people who might have been exposed.
Listed below are the dates, times, and locations of the potential exposure sites:
- Alexander T. Augusta Military Medical Center Emergency Department and Executive Medicine Suite, located at 9300 DeWitt Loop in Fort Belvoir, Friday, Jan. 9 from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 10 p.m. to midnight.
- Amtrak Northeast Regional Train 175, from William H. Gray III 30th Street Station, Philadelphia, PA at 9 p.m. to Washington Union Station at 11:30 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 7.
Any additional exposure sites identified in Virginia will be posted to the VDH Measles website.
What To Do
If you were exposed at the locations and times above, read the news release for instructions. Here’s a summary:
- If you’ve had the recommended measles vaccine (like MMR) or were born before 1957: You don’t need to take any special actions.
- If you were exposed, born after 1957, and are not fully vaccinated: Watch for symptoms for 21 days after you may have been exposed. If you get symptoms, stay away from others and call the doctor right away. Symptoms include:
- Runny nose
- Fever over 101°F
- Cough
- Red, watery eyes
- Rash
- If you have a weakened immune system: Talk to your doctor for specific advice.
If you have questions about a potential exposure, email epi_response@vdh.virginia.gov or call the Alexandria Health Department call center at 703.746.4988 during normal business hours.
How to Check Your Measles Vaccination
Hearing about measles in our community makes many people want to know their vaccine history. The best way to know if you’ve gotten your recommended measles vaccines is to ask your doctor to check your vaccine record. For children, ask their pediatrician.
If you got vaccines in Virginia, you can also check online using the Virginia MMR record portal. Several other states also have similar systems.
If you haven’t had the recommended vaccines, you can get the MMR shot from your doctor or a pharmacy in Virginia.
Learn more about measles, symptoms, and vaccines on the VDH Measles website.
