The Virginia Department of Health has confirmed the state’s first case of measles for 2025. Now, the department is trying to determine whether anyone else may have been exposed to the highly contagious illness.
A child under the age of 4 from the state’s Northwest health region — which includes the Shenandoah Valley and parts of Appalachia — was diagnosed with the disease last week, according to a statement from VDH.
State health officials say the child had recently traveled internationally. Because of the patient’s age, they are not providing more identifying details.
According to VDH, the patient recently visited two public locations in Virginia:
- the advanced urgent care at Kaiser Permanente Caton Hill Medical Center in Woodbridge on Tuesday, April 15 from 10 a.m.–1:30 p.m.
- the pediatrics department at Kaiser Permanente Fredericksburg Medical Center on Wednesday, April 16 from noon–5 p.m.
Health officials warned that anyone who may have been exposed is considered to be at risk of developing measles — and recommended that people contact their health care providers immediately.
“This first case of measles in Virginia this year is a reminder of how easily this highly contagious disease can spread, particularly with international travel,” VDH State Epidemiologist Laurie Forlano said in a statement.
Measles is a highly contagious illness that spreads through particles in the air when an infected person breathes, coughs or sneezes. Symptoms can occur roughly 21 days after the date of exposure and can include a high fever, watery red eyes, a cough and a rash that spreads across the body.
Measles can cause serious health complications including pneumonia and encephalitis, especially in children under the age of 5 and those with compromised immune systems. Two people have died from measles so far this year, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Both deaths occurred in Texas.
According to CDC, measles can be prevented with two doses of the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine. A single dose of the MMR vaccine is about 93% effective in preventing measles, and the second dose — typically given to children ages 4–6 years old — has been shown to be about 97% effective.
VDH says the state has “high measles vaccination rates,” with roughly 95% of the state’s kindergarteners being fully vaccinated against the disease.
“Vaccination remains our best defense against measles and is safe and highly effective at protecting people and preventing outbreaks,” Forlano said. “We urge Virginians, especially those planning to travel, to check their vaccination status, talk to their health care provider, and get the MMR vaccine if needed.”
