RICHMOND, Va. — Virginia health officials have released potential exposure sites after a teenager who recently traveled internationally was diagnosed with measles. Officials provided five potential exposure sites: the Charlottesville Albemarle Airport on Tuesday, May 20 between 2:15 p.m. and 5:30 p.m., Play it Again Sports at 1885 Seminole Trail in Charlottesville on Tuesday, May 20 from 2:40 p.m. to 5 p.m., the Goodwill Store and Donation Center at 440 Gander Drive in Charlottesville on Tuesday, May 20 from 3:10 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., UVA Health Primary Care Riverside at 2335 Seminole Lane, Suite 200 in Charlottesville on Thursday, May 22 from 2 p.m. to 7:10 p.m. and UVA Health University Medical Center Emergency Department at 1215 Lee St. in Charlottesville on Friday, May 23 from 12 a.m. to 6 a.m. The child, who is between 13 and 17 years old, according to health department officials, lives in the state's Northwest Region. That includes the localities of Albemarle, Augusta, Bath, Buena Vista City, Caroline, Charlottesville, Clarke, Culpeper, Fauquier, Fluvanna, Frederick, Fredericksburg, Greene, Harrisonburg, Highland, King George, Lexington, Louisa, Madison, Nelson, Orange, Page, Rappahannock, Rockbridge, Rockingham, Shenandoah, Spotsylvania, Stafford, Staunton, Warren, Waynesboro and Winchester. This marks Virginia's second measles case for 2025. The first case reported in April involved a child who was four years or younger and who recently traveled abroad. That child also lives in the Northwest Region, according to health officials.
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. Click here for more information about measles from the Virginia Department of Health. SHARE on social media to SPREAD the WORD!
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What should you do if you were at the above locations on the day and time specified?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. Click here for more information about measles from the Virginia Department of Health. SHARE on social media to SPREAD the WORD!
