DULLES, VA — Virginia and Washington, D.C. health officials on Friday confirmed a new case of measles in the region after an infected person traveled through Washington Dulles International Airport last week.
According to officials, the person is a D.C. resident who traveled through the airport on April 23 and April 24. The person also visited multiple locations in the District and used public transportation while contagious.
Below are the dates, times and locations of the potential exposure sites in Virginia and D.C.
Health officials said the person traveled internationally. To protect the person's privacy, the Virginia Department of Health did not provide additional information about their identity.
Health officials said anyone who may have been exposed and is at risk of developing measles should contact their healthcare provider immediately.
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, a 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 spreads to the rest of the body.
People with measles are contagious from four days before the rash appears through four days after.
Measles can be prevented with the MMR vaccine. Two doses are about 97 percent effective at preventing measles, while one dose is about 93 percent effective, health officials said.
Any additional exposure sites identified in Virginia will be posted to the VDH Measles website. Additional exposure sites have been identified in D.C. and Maryland.
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