There is a second case of measles in Charlottesville, according to a Virginia Department of Health news release published Thursday, June 5. It’s the third in the state since April.
If you believed you or a loved one was exposed, skip to the “Take Action” box at bottom of this article for information about possible exposure sites and next steps.
This case is a result of exposure to the previous local case in May, when a teenager who had recently traveled abroad was out and about in Charlottesville shortly before being diagnosed with measles. The Health Department released five places of potential exposure on May 20. (See those locations here.)
It’s not an outbreak yet, according to Emily Rich, vaccine-preventable disease epidemiologist at the Virginia Department of Health. But it’s not far off.
“An outbreak of measles is defined as three or more cases of measles that are epidemiologically linked,” Rich said. “So if we identified one other case that we were able to connect back to these two cases, then we would declare it an outbreak.”
And considering that the incubation period for measles is up to 21 days and that the first Charlottesville case was confirmed on May 23, there is still time for additional cases to emerge.
“All cases of measles are considered a public health urgency,” Rich said. “Health Department follow-up includes contact tracing of all exposed individuals and following up with those people to assess their immunity, provide them with recommendations to help protect themselves and the people around them from developing measles. So, the health department is busy at work following up with members of the community who may have been exposed.”
In case there is an outbreak, this is what the Department would continue doing, she said.
In the meantime, local hospital systems are preparing for an outbreak. UVA Medical Center has already deployed its “measles control plan,” said spokesperson Erin Swensen.
The plan “guides our care teams in how to safely identify, isolate and care for patients with suspected cases of measles while protecting the health of all patients and care providers,” Swensen wrote in an email.
Measles is one of the most contagious diseases in the world. It spreads through the air, not just from coughing or sneezing, but even from breathing near someone who’s infected.
It’s also preventable with vaccines.
“The best way to protect yourself from measles is to get the MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccine, and we strongly recommend all community members know their immunity status and get vaccinated if needed,” Swensen said.
Individuals can check their immunization status with their healthcare provider or — for those vaccinated in Virginia — by requesting their vaccination records using the VDH Immunization Record Request Form, according to VDH.
Anyone with additional questions about their potential exposure can email epi_response@vdh.virginia.gov or contact their local health department.
As vaccination rates decline, there has been an increase in outbreaks recently. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the U.S. has seen 14 measles outbreaks so far this year. As of May 30, there have been 1,088 confirmed cases and three deaths across 33 jurisdictions. That’s two jurisdictions and 42 cases more than were known on May 27, when Charlottesville Tomorrow reported on the first case in the city.
The CDC reports that nearly all cases (96%) occurred in people who were not vaccinated.
The most recent case, according to the health officials, is a child between zero and four years old from the Northwest region of Virginia, which includes Charlottesville and Albemarle County. The child developed the symptoms, according to the release, after the exposure.
Measles symptoms usually come in two stages. First, there is a fever that exceeds 101°F, a runny nose, cough and watery eyes. That tends to happen about seven to 14 days after exposure.
A few days later, typically three to five days in, the second stage begins, marked by a rash that starts on the face and spreads across the body.
According to the Virginia Department of Health, people with measles can be contagious from four days before the rash appears to four days after.
In Virginia, most of the children of kindergarten age are vaccinated, with the rate being just under 95%.
However, younger children are particularly vulnerable to measles, as they might not have been vaccinated yet.
Take Action
There has been another case of Measles in Charlottesville. There were two potential exposure sites, according to the Virginia Department of Health:
- SugarBear Ice Cream, 1522 E. High St. in Charlottesville, on Saturday, May 31, between 4 p.m and 7 p.m.
- Lowe’s Home Improvement, 400 Woodbrook Dr. in Charlottesville, on Sunday, June 1, between 1 p.m. and 6 p.m.
According to health officials, people exposed indoors have the greatest risk for contracting the disease, while the risk is minimal for people who were outside the building.
What to do if you were at any of these locations during these times? The health department says:
- If you’ve had two doses of a measles vaccine or were born before 1957, you’re protected and don’t need to take any action.
- If you’ve had only one dose of the vaccine, you’re very likely protected and the risk of infection is low, but a second dose offers stronger protection.
- If you haven’t been vaccinated, you could be at risk. Call your doctor or local health department right away — you may qualify for preventive treatment.
- Watch for symptoms (fever, cough, rash) for 21 days after the exposure. If you notice any symptoms, isolate right away and call your healthcare provider. In order to protect others, call before going in for an appointment.
- If you have an immunocompromising condition, you should talk to your doctor even if you feel fine.
To learn more about how to request your vaccination records and ask additional questions about potential exposure, see the VDH news release. To learn more about measles, visit the VDH page here.
