Montgomery County health officials say a Virginia resident with confirmed measles may have exposed people in downtown Bethesda during a visit to an office building at 7200 Wisconsin Avenue on Feb. 10. The county’s disease-control team is urging anyone who was in the building that day to keep an eye out for symptoms and double-check their measles vaccination status.
According to WUSA9, Montgomery County issued the alert after learning that a Virginia resident who tested positive for measles had visited the Bethesda office building on Feb. 10. County officials say the Disease Control Office has set up a hotline at 240-777-1755 so residents can find out whether they may have been exposed. Officials are also telling anyone with possible symptoms to call their health care provider before seeking in-person care so they do not risk spreading the virus in a waiting room.
Virginia health department lists multiple exposure sites
The Virginia Department of Health says two adults who traveled together within the United States have tested positive for measles and may have exposed others at stores, churches, restaurants and an office across Northern Virginia between Feb. 13 and Feb. 17. As detailed by the Virginia Department of Health, potential exposure sites include a Harris Teeter in Manassas, a Walmart on Liberia Avenue, Marco’s Pizza and several church and retail locations. Health officials are asking anyone who was at those locations during the listed time windows to report possible exposure through an online survey.
How measles spreads and what to watch for
Measles is highly contagious and can spread through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes. The virus can remain in the air for up to two hours after an infected person leaves. Symptoms usually start with fever, cough, runny nose and watery red eyes about 7 to 14 days after exposure, and a rash typically appears a few days later, according to the CDC. People with measles are considered contagious from four days before the rash appears until four days after it begins.
What to do if you think you were exposed
If you were at 7200 Wisconsin Avenue on Feb. 10 and do not have evidence of immunity, health officials say you should contact your health care provider and the county Disease Control Office to discuss post-exposure options. Depending on your situation, those options can include an MMR vaccine or immune globulin for certain people. Virginia health officials also ask that people who visited the Virginia exposure sites complete a brief survey from the Virginia Department of Health. Montgomery County residents with questions can reach the Disease Control Office at 240-777-1755, according to the Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services…