Health Officials Investigation Measles Case in DC

(Washington, DC) - DC Department of Health (DC Health) has been notified of a confirmed case of measles in an international traveler who recently arrived in Washington, DC. DC Health is notifying individuals who were at the following locations that they may have been exposed to the virus.

Listed below are the date, time, and location of the potential exposure site associated with this case of measles:

Dulles International Airport (IAD), 1 Saarinen Cir, Dulles, VA 20166, Concourse A, on transportation to the International Arrivals Building (IAB), and in the baggage claim area.

• June 8 from 10:30  am to 1 pm

Washington Metro Area Transit: Silver Line Train from Dulles Airport Station, transferring at the Metro Center Station to the Red Line Train heading towards Shady Grove Station.

• June 8: 11:30 am to 2:30 pm

The Russian School of Mathematics, located at 8401 Connecticut Ave, Chevy Chase, MD:

Washington Metro Area Transit: L8 Metrobus Southbound to Friendship Heights

Washington Metro Area Transit: H4 Metrobus Westbound to Tenleytown

• June 12, 7:30 am - 9:30 am

Medstar Health Pediatrics in Tenleytown at 4200 Wisconsin Ave NW, DC 20016

Measles is a highly contagious viral respiratory disease that spreads easily through the air when an infected person breathes, coughs or sneezes. Symptoms typically develop in two stages.

During the first stage, which begins 7 to 14 days after exposure, individuals often experience a fever over 101°F, along with a runny nose, red, watery eyes, and a cough. The second stage occurs 3 to 5 days after the initial symptoms begin, when a distinctive rash appears on the face and gradually spreads to the rest of the body. A person with measles is contagious from four days before the rash appears until four days after it emerges. Serious complications can occur, including pneumonia, brain swelling (encephalitis), and death.

What should you do if you were at the above location on the day and time specified?

• People who might have been exposed and are not immune should contact their health care provider or DC Health at 844-493-2652 for more guidance.
• If you have never received a measles containing vaccine (either the measles, mumps, and rubella [MMR] 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 21 days following the date of their last exposure. If you notice the symptoms of measles, immediately isolate yourself by staying home and away from others. Contact your healthcare provider immediately. 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 to help protect other patients and staff.
• If you have received two doses of a measles containing vaccine, or were born before 1957, you are protected and do not need to take any action.
• 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.
• If you have an immuno-compromising condition, please consult your healthcare provider if you have questions or develop symptoms.

Measles is preventable through a safe and effective MMR vaccine. Two doses of the vaccine are given to provide lifetime protection. 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 DC Health or a healthcare provider to get the first of two doses as soon as possible. To check your immunization status, call your healthcare provider or contact DC Health.

Healthcare providers should always maintain an increased index of suspicion for measles in clinically compatible cases, especially if patients were recently exposed. Measles is an immediately reportable disease. Contact DC Health right away to report any suspected cases and arrange for public health testing. Suspected cases can be reported by healthcare providers via telephone at 844-493-2652 or by submitting a Notifiable Disease and Condition Case Report Form online using the DC Reporting and Surveillance Center (DCRC), which can be found on our Infectious Diseases website dchealth.dc.gov/node/143092

For additional guidance on testing and infection control measures for healthcare providers, visit https://dchealth.dc.gov/page/measles-information-healthcare-providers.

If you have any questions about these potential exposures, please contact DC Health at 844- 493-2652 or via email at [email protected]

Maryland residents with questions about their potential exposure can call the Maryland Department of Health at 410-795-7365

Virginia residents with additional questions about their potential exposure can email [email protected] or contact their local health department.

Additional information about measles can be found here:
Measles Frequently Asked Questions
Measles Fact Sheet English
Measles Fact Sheet Spanish
https://www.cdc.gov/measles/index.html