FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – June 5, 2025
Media Contact: Logan Anderson, logan.anderson@vdh.virginia.gov
Virginia Health Officials Confirm Third 2025 Measles Case in the State
El Departamento de Salud de Virginia está trabajando para identificar a las personas que están en riesgo
RICHMOND, Va. – The Virginia Department of Health (VDH) is reporting the state’s third measles case of the year. The patient is a child (0-4 years) in the Northwest Region who developed symptoms after exposure to another Virginia measles case. To protect the family’s privacy, VDH will not provide any additional information about the patient. Public health officials are coordinating efforts to identify anyone who might have been exposed.
A continuación se enumeran las fechas, horas y ubicaciones de los posibles sitios de exposición en Virginia:
- SugarBear Ice Cream, located at 1522 E. High Street in Charlottesville on Saturday, May 31, between 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. Indoor exposures pose the greatest risk for measles. There is minimal risk of exposure for people who were only outdoors at this location.
- Lowe’s Home Improvement, located at 400 Woodbrook Drive in Charlottesville on Sunday, June 1, between 1 p.m. and 6 p.m.
This case is the third case reported in Virginia in 2025. The first case was reported in April and the second case was reported in May. For the latest information on measles cases in Virginia, please visit the Reportable Disease Monthly Surveillance Report.
¿Qué debe hacer si estuvo en los lugares anteriores el día y la hora especificados?
- Si ha recibido dos dosis de una vacuna contra el sarampión o nació antes de 1957, está protegido y no necesita tomar ninguna medida.
- Si nunca ha recibido una vacuna que contenga sarampión (ya sea la vacuna contra el sarampión, las paperas y la rubéola [MMR] o una vacuna solo contra el sarampión que está disponible en otros países), puede correr el riesgo de contraer sarampión. Cualquier persona que pueda haber estado expuesta y se considere que está en riesgo de desarrollar sarampión debe comunicarse con su proveedor de atención médica de inmediato.
- 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.
- Esté atento a los síntomas durante 21 días después de la fecha de su posible exposición. Si nota síntomas de sarampión, aíslese inmediatamente quedándose en casa. Comuníquese con su proveedor de atención médica de inmediato. Si necesita buscar atención médica, llame con anticipación antes de ir al consultorio de su proveedor de atención médica o a la sala de emergencias para notificarles que puede haber estado expuesto al sarampión y pídales que llamen al departamento de salud local. Esta llamada ayudará a proteger a otros pacientes y al personal.
- Cualquier persona con una afección inmunodeprimida debe consultar con su proveedor de atención médica si tiene preguntas o presenta síntomas.
- Si ha recibido solo una dosis de una vacuna contra el sarampión, es muy probable que esté protegido y su riesgo de infectarse con el sarampión por cualquiera de estas exposiciones es muy bajo. Sin embargo, para lograr el nivel más alto de protección, comuníquese con su proveedor de atención médica para recibir una segunda dosis de la vacuna.
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.
For more information about measles visit www.vdh.virginia.gov/measles/
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