Virginia

Measles cases rise in Virginia: six reported in 2026, already topping 2025 total

Published

3 weeks ago

February 9, 2026

Measles cases rise in Virginia: six reported in 2026, already topping 2025 total

LYNCHBURG, Va. (WSET) — As measles cases surge across the United States, according to the Virginia Department of Health, six cases have been reported in the Commonwealth in 2026 so far. That’s already one more case than we saw in all of 2025.

Cali Anderson, Senior Epidemiologist with the Central Virginia Health District, said the increase in prevalence is concerning.

It has been increasing for the past several years, and around the country we’re seeing the same things with rates increasing. We have had a number of very large outbreaks around the US. So far in Virginia, we have not had that happen and we have only had individual cases so far this year,” Anderson said. “We’re likely to see those numbers keep increasing, unfortunately.”

Five of 2026’s cases were in Virginia’s Northern region, with one in the Central region. The ABC13 viewing area is located in the Southwest region, with no reported cases yet; however, Anderson warns that everyone needs to be vigilant.

READ MORE: Health officials investigate confirmed measles case at Virginia airport

“The biggest thing with measles that makes it so concerning is that it is very contagious. So, for individuals that are unvaccinated or not immune to the virus, they have a 90% chance of getting infected if they’re exposed to it,” she said. “For example, if you are in a room of 10 people and one individual with measles walks into the room, everyone else is unvaccinated, nine of them are going to get it.”

The disease is incredibly contagious and difficult to contain.

It is very, very hard to contain once it starts spreading, and that’s why we see such massive outbreaks once they get into pockets of unvaccinated communities,” Anderson said. “That’s a real big concern with measles is that it spreads like wildfire and unfortunately, measles can be very serious.”

In some patients, measles can cause hospitalization or even lead to death.

“Typically, we see about one in every five measles cases ends up having to be hospitalized. It can lead to some serious side effects like pneumonia, conjunctivitis, we can see deafness. Then another big thing with measles is it causes an immune memory loss. Your immune system recognizes a lot of viruses and things that you’ve seen in the past, but when measles comes in, it tends to wipe out that memory. So, now, when your body is exposed to common things like the flu or RSV, or even the common cold, it doesn’t know how to react to them anymore. It has to build that immunity back up,” Anderson said.

According to VDH, vaccination is the best way to protect yourself and your family.

(AP Photo/Mary Conlon, File)

“Just one dose of the measles MMR vaccine will provide 93 percent efficacy against measles, and then after two doses it’s 97 percent effective,” Anderson said. “Nothing is 100 percent, but if we go back to our room example, if we have 100 people in the room and everyone is fully vaccinated with two doses, only three of them have the chance of getting it.”

In Virginia, about 86 percent of seven-year-olds have the full vaccination series, according to VDH. However, in the Central Virginia region, that number is only 70.12 percent.

The vaccine is the number one prevention for measles,” Anderson said.

Measles symptoms can take up to three weeks to show after exposure; however, people can be contagious four days before a measles rash even begins. The initial symptoms are similar to a common cold or the flu, making it even more likely to spread.

“In the first stage, we typically see a high fever of greater than 101, and we usually start to see a runny nose, some red watery eyes and cough. We refer to it as the three C’s of measles: cough, coryza, which is that runny nose, and then conjunctivitis, which is the watery red eyes. Then, about three to five days later, that’s when the rash starts. We typically see the rash present on the face, and then it will spread downwards across the body,” Anderson said.

If you or someone you know begins showing symptoms, VDH recommends letting your doctor know as soon as possible.

“If you think your child or someone that you know might have measles, make sure you’re notifying the healthcare place that you are visiting before you go in. You want to make sure that you’re mentioning that it is a measles-like rash, or you had exposure to measles or something like that. That will help to make sure that we’re limiting our healthcare exposure, because then we can work on the back end to try to limit lobby exposure or anywhere else. That helps to just make sure that we keep the exposure down and our numbers down,” Anderson said.

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Virginia

Two dead after I-495 road rage incident leads to stabbing, Virginia State Police shooting – WTOP News

Published

3 hours ago

March 2, 2026

Press Room

Two dead after I-495 road rage incident leads to stabbing, Virginia State Police shooting – WTOP News

A road rage incident led to a shooting involving the Virginia State Police on Sunday on Interstate 495. Four individuals were also stabbed.

Two people are dead Sunday in Annandale, Virginia, after a road rage incident led to a shooting involving Virginia State Police on Interstate 495.

A release issued by the Virginia State Police said a trooper fatally shot a man after responding to a report of a road rage incident on the southbound lanes of I-495 just before 1:30 p.m. at exit 52, near the Little River Turnpike.

The man, transferred to a hospital with serious injuries, has been pronounced dead. VSP said the trooper shot in self-defense after the man confronted him with a knife.

The trooper did not suffer any injuries during the altercation.

Officials found four stabbing victims at the scene, but only identified a 39-year-old woman and a dog. Both the woman and the dog died.

Early findings suggest the stabbings took place after a crash on the Capital Beltway. The crash remains under investigation.

The VSP’s release comes after the main lanes of the Capital Beltway Outer Loop, before Little River Turnpike, were closed to traffic for several hours, only recently opening the express lanes. Main lanes between Arlington Boulevard and the Little River Turnpike remain closed.

Stay with WTOP for the latest developments.

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Virginia

Virginia Huffman Obituary February 27, 2026 – Ott & Lee Funeral Homes

Published

15 hours ago

March 1, 2026

Press Room

Virginia Huffman Obituary February 27, 2026 – Ott & Lee Funeral Homes

Mary “Virginia” Huffman, 82, of Pelahatchie, Mississippi, passed away on February 27, 2026.

Born on February 28, 1943, in Morton, Mississippi, she was the daughter of Carl and Nannie Mae Bradshaw. She married the love of her life, Jimmy Lavell Huffman, on June 14, 1963, and together they built a life rooted in faith, family, and hard work. Virginia devoted nearly 50 years to teaching high school math, beginning at Morton High School and later serving at East Rankin Academy. Generations of students were shaped by her steady guidance, high expectations, and deep belief in their potential. Many would say they entered college prepared because they had learned from “Mrs. Huffman.” Her students knew the famous “Mrs. Huffman look,” but no one understood it quite like her children and grandchildren. To many, she was more than a teacher—she was a mentor, encourager, and second mother.

A faithful member of Cross Roads Baptist Church, Virginia was a true matriarch and prayer warrior whose life was anchored in her love for the Lord. She woke each morning to study the Word of God and carried that faith into every conversation, classroom, and season of life. She played piano and organ, sang in the choir, and on Sunday mornings could often be found at home practicing the piano before church—something her family dearly loved listening to. She served her church and community with quiet devotion. Whether tutoring students during the summer, helping families in need, or visiting church members, she consistently lived out a servant’s heart.

She loved farm life—raising chickens and cows, cutting hay, tending her flower beds, and cooking for the people she loved. She was especially known for her strawberry pies, egg custard, and caramel cake (see Cheryl Moore for the recipe). She faithfully attended her grandchildren’s sporting events and found her greatest joy in cheering on her family. She loved deeply and wholeheartedly, treating not only her own children and grandchildren as treasures, but embracing many others in her community as if they were her own.

She is survived by her husband, Jimmy Lavell Huffman; her children, Connie Goodman (Mike), Karen Jones, and Jade Huffman; her grandchildren, Christin (Colby) (Candace), Christopher (Victoria), Dillon, Marley, Halle (Elijah), Kyla Kate, and Eli; her great-grandchildren, Autumn, Titus, Sophia, Liam, Scarlett, Luke, and Ava; and her siblings, Paul (Joyce) and Delilah.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Carl and Nannie Mae Bradshaw; her in-laws, Clyde Sr. and Zora Huffman; her son, Scot Huffman; and her sisters, May Erving and Maxine Strong.

Virginia will be remembered as a woman of unwavering faith, steadfast strength, and extraordinary love. Her legacy lives on in the family she nurtured, the students she prepared, and the countless lives she covered in prayer.

Visitation will be held from 5:00 pm – until on Sunday, March 1, 2026 at Cross Roads Baptist Church in Pelahatchie and again on Monday, March 2, 2026 from 12 pm – 1 pm.

Services will be held at 1pm Monday, March 2, 2026 at Cross Roads Baptist Church with burial in the church cemetery.

Bro. John Vaughn, Bro. Gary Morris and Bro. Steven Platt will officate the services.

Pallbearers will be Tim Wolverton, Colby Boyd, Christopher Wilson, Dillon Pettigrew, Eli Huffman and Elijah Moore.

Ott and Lee Funeral Home in Morton is honored to serve the Huffman family.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the Cross Roads Baptist Church Building Fund.

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Virginia

Virginia Lottery Powerball, Pick 3 Night results for Feb. 28, 2026

Published

1 day ago

March 1, 2026

Press Room

Virginia Lottery Powerball, Pick 3 Night results for Feb. 28, 2026

The Virginia Lottery offers multiple draw games for those aiming to win big.

Here’s a look at Feb. 28, 2026, results for each game:

Powerball

Powerball drawings are held Monday, Wednesday and Saturday at 11 p.m.

06-20-35-54-65, Powerball: 10, Power Play: 4

Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.

Monday, March 02, 2026

Pick 3

DAY drawing at 1:59 p.m. NIGHT drawing at 11 p.m. each day.

Night: 1-7-2, FB: 7

Day: 6-6-5, FB: 7

Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Pick 4

DAY drawing at 1:59 p.m. NIGHT drawing at 11 p.m. each day.

Night: 3-0-2-2, FB: 8

Day: 8-2-7-9, FB: 3

Check Pick 4 payouts and previous drawings here.

Pick 5

DAY drawing at 1:59 p.m. NIGHT drawing at 11 p.m. each day.

Night: 1-3-5-7-5, FB: 9

Day: 4-4-7-7-0, FB: 7

Check Pick 5 payouts and previous drawings here.

Cash Pop

Drawing times: Coffee Break 9 a.m.; Lunch Break 12 p.m.; Rush Hour 5 p.m.; Prime Time 9 p.m.; After Hours 11:59 p.m.

Coffee Break: 13

After Hours: 04

Prime Time: 10

Rush Hour: 02

Lunch Break: 07

Check Cash Pop payouts and previous drawings here.

Cash 5

Drawing every day at 11 p.m.

04-14-16-30-39

Check Cash 5 payouts and previous drawings here.

Bank a Million

Bank a Million draws are held every Wednesday and Saturday at 11 p.m.

02-03-04-05-08-35, Bonus: 14

Check Bank a Million payouts and previous drawings here.

Millionaire for Life

Drawing everyday at 11:15 p.m.

13-20-28-44-48, Bonus: 04

Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a Center for Community Journalism (CCJ) editor. You can send feedback using this form.

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