DC Health Officials Investigating Measles Case

(Washington, DC) – DC Health was notified of a confirmed case of measles in a DC resident who visited multiple locations in the District while contagious. DC Health is informing people who were at these locations that they may have been exposed.

Listed below are the date, time, and location of the potential exposure sites associated with these cases of measles:

• Dulles International Airport (IAD): 1 Saarinen Cir, Dulles, VA 20166, Concourse C international arriving corridors, on transportation to the International Arrivals Building (IAB) and in the baggage claim area
  • Wednesday, June 17th 6:00 a.m.-11:00 a.m.
• Mary’s Center, Adams Morgan/Ontario Clinic, 2333 Ontario Rd. NW, Washington, DC 20009
  • Wednesday June 17th, 4:00 p.m.-8:30 p.m.

Measles is a highly contagious illness that can spread easily through the air when an infected person breathes, coughs or sneezes. The virus can stay in the air for 2 hours after a person with measles leaves the space. It is so contagious that about 9 out of 10 people who come near a person with measles will also become infected if they are not vaccinated.

Measles symptoms usually appear in two stages. In the first stage, most people have a fever greater than 101 degrees, a runny nose, watery red eyes, and a cough. These symptoms usually start 7 to 14 days after exposure. The second stage starts 3 to 5 days after the symptoms begin, when a rash begins to appear on the face and spreads to the rest of the body. People with measles are contagious from 4 days before the rash appears through 4 days after the rash appears.

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 further 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 need to seek medical care, please wear a mask during the entire trip and only remove the mask if you are instructed by a healthcare provider to do so.
• 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 immunocompromising 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 routinely recommended at age 12 months and 4 years to provide lifetime protection. For infants ages 6-11 months, one dose of MMR only may be administered during a community outbreak or prior to international travel to a high-risk area. Anyone who is not vaccinated is very susceptible to infection if they are exposed to someone with measles. If you or your child has not been vaccinated, or you are unsure of your vaccination status, call DC Health or a healthcare provider to discuss vaccination. Visit vaccines.dc.gov for more information.

Healthcare providers should maintain an increased index of suspicion for measles in clinically compatible cases at all times, 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
Measles Heath Alert Notice to Providers
CDC - Measles