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Confirmed cases of measles in DC and Virginia as country faces significant resurgence

By Ciara Wells

Two cases of measles have been confirmed in the DC-area: Officials with the District’s Department of Health announced a confirmed case of measles in the city on Thursday, and the Virginia Department of Health was notified of a confirmed case of measles that traveled through the Dulles International Airport on April 23 and April 24.

In a release, VDH said the person traveled internationally and is an out of state resident.

Listed below are the dates, times, and locations of the potential exposure sites in Virginia and D.C., according to D.C. Health and VDH:

  • Concourse B, the Aerotrain and the Baggage Claim Area of Dulles International Airport on Thursday, April 23, and Friday, April 24
  • M60 Metrobus northbound toward Takoma Langley Crossroads Transit Center from April 24 to April 27
  • M60 Metrobus southbound toward Fort Totten station from April 24 to April 27
  • Metrorail Green Line from Fort Totten to L’Enfant Plaza and the Blue Line toward Downtown Largo on Saturday, April 25, from 9 a.m. till noon
  • Metrorail Green Line from Fort Totten to L’Enfant Plaza transferring to the Orange Line toward New Carrolton on Sunday, April 26, from 7:50 a.m. to 10:50 a.m.
  • Orange Line from Minnesota Avenue transferring from L’Enfant Plaza to the Green Line toward Greenbelt on Saturday, April 25, and Sunday, April 26, in the evening
  • Red Line Metrorail from Fort Totten toward Shady Grove on Monday, April 27, from 5 p.m. to 7:15 p.m.

Anyone who was at those locations during the listed times should monitor for symptoms for 21 days and check their vaccination status. Early symptoms include fever, cough, runny nose and red eyes, followed by a rash.

VDH health officials are working to to identify people who might have been exposed, including those who might have been exposed on specific flights.

D.C. Health officials said the virus can stay in the air for up to 2 hours after a contagious person leaves the space.

As always, vaccination remains a key component in fighting the spread of the disease. Two doses of the vaccine are recommended for children between 12 months and 4 years old

“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,” D.C. Health wrote.

Three cases of measles were also confirmed in February among people traveling through the D.C. area.

People who think they might have been exposed to the virus should contact their healthcare provider or D.C. Health at 844-493-2652 for guidance.

Measles outbreaks have surged nationwide. This year through April, there were more than 1,814 confirmed measles cases, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Friday.

Roughly 2,300 cases were reported in 2025.

What to know about hantavirus, the illness linked to a cruise ship outbreak

By The Associated Press
ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. (AP) — An outbreak aboard a cruise ship of a rare rodent-borne illness called hantavirus has left three passengers dead and sickened others, but global health officials say the risk to the general public remains low because the germ does not easily spread between people. “This is not the next COVID, but it is a serious infectious disease,” said Maria Van Kerkhove, director of epidemic and pandemic preparedness at the World Health Organization. “Most people will never be exposed to this.” Hantaviruses have been around for centuries and are thought to exist around the world. The disease gained renewed attention last year after the late actor Gene Hackman ’s wife, Betsy Arakawa, died from a hantavirus infection in New Mexico. The virus usually spreads when people inhale contaminated residue of rodent droppings. But the hantavirus that has caused the current outbreak, called the Andes virus, may be able to spread between people in rare cases. Because of this, health officials are taking extra precautions with passengers returning to their home countries.
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