DC Health officials warn of measles exposures in the District

WASHINGTON (DC News Now) — Health officials in the District are investigating a potential measles outbreak in Northwest D.C.

An infected individual visited multiple locations in D.C. while contagious. DC Health released the alert just hours after a similar warning was issued in Arlington.

Listed below are the dates, times, and locations of the potential exposure sites associated with this case of measles:

• CVS Pharmacy: 2226 Wisconsin Ave. NW, Washington D.C. between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. Tuesday, July 2.
• LabCorp: 2233 Wisconsin Ave. NW, Washington, D.C. between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Tuesday, July 2.

DC Health warned that measles is a highly contagious illness that spreads easily through the air when an infected person breathes, coughs or sneezes.

Symptoms usually appear in two stages:

Stage 1: People have a fever of over 101 degrees, runny rose, watery red eyes and a cough. These symptoms usually start between one to two weeks after being exposed.

Stage 2: A rash begins to appear on the face and spread to the body beginning three to five days after symptoms start. People with measles are contagious from four days before the rash appears through four days after the rash appears.

If you have not received a measles vaccine, you may be at risk of contracting the illness.

Anyone who was exposed and is at risk of developing measles should be on the lookout for symptoms until July 23, 2024.

If you notice symptoms, immediately isolate yourself by staying home and away from others, and contact your healthcare provider right away.

You should call ahead before going to your healthcare provider’s office or the emergency room to notify them you might have been exposed to measles and ask them to call the health department.

DC Health issued the following tips for those who might have been exposed:

• If you have received two doses of a measles-containing vaccine or were born before 1957, you are protected and do not need to take any action.
• If you have received only one dose of a measles-containing vaccine, you are very likely to be protected and your risk of being infected with measles from any of these exposures is very low. However, to achieve complete immunity, contact your healthcare provider about getting a second vaccine dose.
• If you have an immunocompromising condition, please consult with your healthcare provider if you have questions or develop symptoms.

DC Health said that infants younger than a year old are susceptible to infection if they have been exposed.

If you or your child have not yet been vaccinated, you are asked to call DC Health or a healthcare provider to get the first of two doses as soon as possible. To check your immunization status, you can call your healthcare provider or contact DC Health.

You should contact DC Health to report any suspected cases and arrange for public health testing. Suspected cases can be reported by healthcare providers at 844-493-2652 or by submitting a Notifiable Disease and Condition Case Report Form online using the DC Reporting and Surveillance Center (DCRC), which can be found on DC Health’s Infectious Diseases website.

If you have any questions about these potential exposures, you can contact DC Health at 844-493-2652 or via email at doh.epi@dc.gov.