Virginia Reports Confirmed Measles Case in Northwest Region; Harrisonburg Business Listed as Exposure Site as State Total Reaches 180 in 2026
The Virginia Department of Health (VDH) reported on October 17 a confirmed case of measles in a resident of the state's Northwest Region. The patient is an adult who recently traveled domestically. VDH said it would not release additional information about the patient to protect privacy, and that health officials are coordinating an effort to identify people who might have been exposed.
VDH listed one potential exposure site in Virginia: Fair Hill Precision, at 4445 Lewis Byrd Road in Harrisonburg, on Monday, October 12 (8 a.m. to 5 p.m.) and Tuesday, October 13 (8 a.m. to 5 p.m.). To date in 2026, Virginia has reported 180 cases of measles, VDH said, and any additional exposure sites identified in the state will be posted on the VDH measles website. Virginia previously saw a measles outbreak in Buckingham and Cumberland counties in May and June of this year, which VDH formally declared over on August 18.
Most people in Virginia have immunity to measles through vaccination, so the risk to the general public is low, VDH said. Anyone who was at the exposure site at the listed times should report the exposure through VDH's short survey and find out whether they have been vaccinated for measles or have had measles previously. People who have received two doses of a measles-containing vaccine, or who were born before 1957, are considered protected and do not need post-exposure treatment at this time. People who are not fully vaccinated or otherwise immune should promptly contact their healthcare provider or local health department, as post-exposure treatments are effective only within a small timeframe.
VDH also advised exposed people to watch for measles symptoms for 21 days after the potential exposure, noting the most likely period to become sick is October 19 through November 3, 2026. Anyone who notices symptoms should immediately isolate at home and call a healthcare provider ahead of any visit, asking the provider to notify the local health department. Measles spreads through the air when an infected person breathes, coughs or sneezes, and the virus can remain in the air for up to two hours after the person leaves. Early symptoms — a fever above 101 degrees, runny nose, watery red eyes and a cough — usually start seven to 14 days after exposure; a rash begins on the face three to five days after symptoms start and spreads to the rest of the body, and patients are contagious from four days before the rash appears through four days after.
Measles is preventable through the safe and effective MMR vaccine, with two doses providing long-lasting protection, and about 95% of Virginia kindergarteners are fully vaccinated, according to VDH. Infants six through 11 months old who will travel internationally or to an outbreak setting should receive one dose of MMR vaccine before travel, and parents can talk to a healthcare provider with questions. The VDH Call Center can be reached at 877-829-4682, Monday through Friday (except holidays), 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. (GSM, based on the Virginia Department of Health release)
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：暴露点所在的 Harrisonburg 市区街景（Bruce Street 与 Main Street 一带历史街区），非暴露点现场。图片来源：Strawser 摄，CC BY-SA 3.0（维基共享资源）。Photo: Downtown Harrisonburg, the city where the exposure site is located (file photo), not the exposure site itself. Credit: Strawser, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
