Virginia health officials have confirmed Virginia's third case of measles in 2025.
Like the second case, officials are notifying the public about possible exposures in the Charlottesville area. The first measles case, earlier this year, included exposures in Northern Virginia.
Here is the complete announcement from the Virginia Department of Health:
RICHMOND, Va. – The Virginia Department of Health (VDH) is reporting the state’s third measles case of the year. The patient is a child (0-4 years) in the Northwest Region who developed symptoms after exposure to another Virginia measles case. To protect the family’s privacy, VDH will not provide any additional information about the patient. Public health officials are coordinating efforts to identify anyone who might have been exposed.
Listed below are the dates, times, and locations of potential exposure sites in Virginia:
- SugarBear Ice Cream, located at 1522 E. High Street in Charlottesville on Saturday, May 31, between 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. Indoor exposures pose the greatest risk for measles. There is minimal risk of exposure for people who were only outdoors at this location.
- Lowe’s Home Improvement, located at 400 Woodbrook Drive in Charlottesville on Sunday, June 1, between 1 p.m. and 6 p.m.
This case is the third case reported in Virginia in 2025. The first case was reported in April and the second case was reported in May. For the latest information on measles cases in Virginia, please visit the Reportable Disease Monthly Surveillance Report.
What should you do if you were at the above locations on the day and time specified?
- 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 immediately.
- Non-immune individuals may qualify for post-exposure treatments. People who might have been exposed and are not immune should contact their health care provider or local health department immediately to coordinate administration of post-exposure prophylaxis.
- 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.
Measles is a highly contagious illness that can spread easily through the air when an infected person breathes, coughs, or sneezes. Measles symptoms usually appear in two stages. In the first stage, most people have a fever of greater than 101 degrees, runny nose, watery red eyes, and a cough. These symptoms usually start seven to fourteen days after being exposed. The second stage starts three to five days after symptoms start, when a rash begins to appear on the face and spreads to the rest of the body. People with measles are contagious from four days before the rash appears through four days after the rash appeared.
Measles is preventable through a safe and effective MMR vaccine. Two doses of the vaccine are given to provide lifetime protection. Virginia has high measles vaccination rates, with approximately 95% of kindergarteners fully vaccinated against measles. However, infants who are too young to be vaccinated, and others who are not vaccinated, are very susceptible to infection if they are exposed to measles. Infants six months through 11 months of age who will be traveling internationally, or to an outbreak setting, should receive one dose of MMR vaccine prior to travel. Talk to your healthcare provider if you have questions about the MMR vaccine.
To check your immunization status, call your healthcare provider or request your vaccination records using the VDH Immunization Record Request Form. Virginia residents with additional questions about their potential exposure can email epi_response@vdh.virginia.gov or contact your local health department.
For more information about measles visit www.vdh.virginia.gov/measles/
