The Virginia Department of Health has announced the third confirmed case of measles in the state this year – the second one in Charlottesville. WMRA's Randi B. Hagi reports.
The VDH issued a press release on Thursday confirming the third case of measles in the state this year. The patient is a child under the age of five who developed symptoms after being exposed to the previously confirmed case of measles in the Charlottesville area – that person was a teenager who had recently traveled internationally. Public health officials say there are two sites in Charlottesville where the child could have exposed others – SugarBear Ice Cream on May 31 between 4 and 7 p.m., and the Lowe's on Woodbrook Drive on June 1 between 1 and 6 p.m.
A VDH epidemiologist previously told WMRA that the measles, mumps, and rubella, or MMR, vaccine series, which is usually administered by age six, provides lifetime immunity. Charlottesville and Albemarle County have some of the highest rates of vaccinated kindergarteners in the state, at more than 95%. Within our broadcast region, Rockingham County has the lowest rate, at 75%.
If you are unsure about your vaccination status, you can request the record from your local health department or on the VDH's website if you were vaccinated in Virginia. They can also help you locate a record from another state. If someone thinks they were exposed to measles, the VDH asks them to notify the local health department or their doctor.
