Measles Exposure Warning For Travelers At Dulles, Reagan Airports

VIRGINIA — Travelers who passed through Dulles International Airport and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in early January may have been exposed to measles, Virginia health officials said.

A confirmed case of measles in a person who traveled through Northern Virginia when returning from international travel was reported to the Virginia Department of Health. As a cautionary measure on Saturday, VDH issued the alert.

People who were at Dulles Airport on Jan. 3, 2024, and Reagan National Airport on Jan. 4, 2024, may have been exposed to the disease. Health officials are coordinating an effort to identify people who might have been exposed, including contacting potentially exposed passengers on specific flights.

These are the times and locations of the potential exposure sites associated with this measles case:

• Dulles International Airport: the international arrivals area of the main terminal between 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 3, 2024
• Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport: Terminal A between 2:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 4, 2024

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 4 days before the rash appears through 4 days after the rash appeared.

What should you do if you were at one of these locations and may have been exposed to measles?

• If you have never received a measles-containing vaccine (either the measles, mumps and rubella 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 is at risk of developing measles should watch for symptoms until Jan. 25.
• If you notice the symptoms of measles, immediately isolate yourself by staying home and away from others. 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 health department. This will help protect other patients and staff.
• If you have received two doses of a measles-containing vaccine (MMR), or were born before 1957, you are protected and do not need to take any action.
• If you have an immunocompromising condition, consult with your healthcare provider if you 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 complete immunity, contact your healthcare provider about getting a second vaccine dose.

Measles is preventable through a safe and effective MMR vaccine, state health officials said. Two doses of the vaccine are given to provide lifetime protection. Virginia has high measles vaccination rates, with about 95 percent of kindergarteners fully vaccinated against measles.

However, infants younger than 12 months of age are too young to be vaccinated. These infants, and others who are not vaccinated, are very susceptible to infection if they are exposed to someone with measles. If you or your child have not yet been vaccinated, call your health provider. To check your immunization status, call your healthcare provider or request records from the VDH Immunization Record Request Form. For additional information, contact your local health department.

Residents with questions about their potential exposure can call VDH at (804) 864-8140 or email [email protected]. For more information about measles visit www.vdh.virginia.gov/measles/.