“Out of an abundance of caution,” Virginia Department of Health officials are investigating potential exposures to a second person with measles, May 11-15, in the National Capital Region. The first measles case was in late April in Loudoun and Fairfax counties.
The most recent local exposures occurred at the following locations, dates and times:
Wednesday, May 14, from 1:45-5 p.m., Whole Foods, 4501 Market Commons Drive in Fair Lakes.
Wednesday, May 14, 2:45-6 p.m., Bon Chon Chicken, 13320 Franklin Farm Road in Chantilly.
For more details of the specific locations, dates and times when exposures may have occurred, call 1-877-275-8343 or go to http://www.vdh.virginia.gov/news/PressReleases/2014/052114Measles.htm.
Those who’ve never received the MMR vaccine may be at risk of measles. If symptoms begin, they should immediately isolate themselves in their homes to limit their exposure to others and call their doctor. They should call ahead before going to the doctor’s office or emergency room and alert them that they were exposed to measles.
Measles is highly contagious and is spread via coughing, sneezing and contact with secretions from the nose, mouth, and throat of an infected individual. 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.
The second stage begins around the third to seventh day when a rash begins to appear on the face and spreads over the entire body. Based on these exposure dates, anyone infected with the measles virus may develop symptoms as late as June 5. However, those who’ve received at least one dose of measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine in the past are at very low risk of being re-infected.