Alexandria Health Department (AHD) is advising residents about potential exposure to measles in northern Virginia. Although the potential exposure did not occur in Alexandria, residents may have been exposed if they were present at the sites/times listed below.

Full details are available in a news release from the Virginia Department of Health (VDH) titled, “Virginia Health Officials Investigating Another Potential Measles Exposure in Northern Virginia.”

The Virginia Department of Health (VDH) was notified of a confirmed case of measles at Washington Dulles International Airport on Thursday, June 19. The confirmed case is an international traveler visiting North Carolina. Health officials are coordinating an effort to identify people who might have been exposed, including contacting potentially exposed passengers on specific flights. Listed below are the dates, times, and locations of the potential exposure sites in Virginia:

• Dulles International Airport (IAD) on Thursday, June 19:
  • Concourse A, on transportation to the International Arrivals Building (IAB), and in the baggage claim area between 7:45 p.m. and 11:59 p.m.
  • Departures area of Main Terminal, East Security Checkpoint, on transportation to Concourse C, and inside Concourse C between 8 p.m. and 11:59 p.m.

Recommended actions are summarized below:

• 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 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 might have been exposed AND is considered to be at risk of developing measles should contact their healthcare provider or Alexandria Health Department 703.746.4988 immediately. Non-immune individuals may qualify for post-exposure treatments.
• Watch for symptoms for 21 days after the date of your potential exposure. If you notice symptoms of measles, immediately isolate yourself by staying home. Contact your healthcare provider right away. If you need to seek healthcare, 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 local health department. This call will help protect other patients and staff.
• Anyone with an immunocompromising condition should consult with their healthcare provider if they 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 the highest level of protection, contact your healthcare provider about getting a second vaccine dose.

To date in 2025, Virginia has three reported cases of measles. With these cases, Alexandria Health Department is encouraging all Alexandrians to make sure they’ve received recommended immunizations to protect themselves and their family members against the measles virus. 

If needed, residents should book immunizations through their health care providers, pharmacies, or Alexandria Health Department's immunization clinic. Visit www.vdh.virginia.gov/Immunization for more information on recommended vaccines and how to get them. 

To check your immunization status, call your healthcare provider or request your vaccination records using the VDH Immunization Record Request Form. Alexandria residents with additional questions about their potential exposure can email epi_response@vdh.virginia.gov or contact Alexandria Health Department at 703.746.4988 Monday - Friday 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.

More information about measles, symptoms, and vaccination is available on the VDH measles website.  

For media inquiries only, please contact Eve Elliott at 804.467.5160 or email eve.elliott@vdh.virginia.gov.