BUCKINGHAM COUNTY, Va. — The Virginia Department of Health announced a measles outbreak in Buckingham County, Virginia.
VDH has identified 12 outbreak-associated measles cases in the area as of May 13, 2026.
"There are likely more measles cases than have been reported," the Virginia Department of Health said in its alert. "No patients reported recent travel. Without travel, the timing of these cases suggests local transmission."
The department encouraged Virginians to stay up to date on their vaccination, noting the MMR vaccine is the best protection against measles.
In February, the Virginia Department of Health confirmed the first measles case of the year in Central Virginia, which at the time brought the statewide total to 8 cases. Five cases were reported throughout all of 2025.
Measles symptoms appear seven to 14 days after contact with the virus, according to the CDC.
Measles typically begins with:
High fever (may spike to more than 104°)
Cough
Runny nose (coryza)
Red, watery eyes (conjunctivitis or pink eye)
Two to Three Days after Symptoms Begin:
Tiny white spots (Koplik spots) may appear inside the mouth two to three days after symptoms begin.
Three - Five Days after Symptoms Begin:
Measles rash appears three to five days after the first symptoms. It usually begins as flat red spots that appear on the face at the hairline. They then spread downward to the neck, trunk, arms, legs, and feet.
Small raised bumps may also appear on top of the flat red spots.
The spots may become joined together as they spread from the head to the rest of the body.
When the rash appears, a person's fever may spike to more than 104° Fahrenheit.
Measles is so contagious that it takes a 95% vaccination rate to prevent outbreaks, the AP reported.
Nationally, vaccination rates have fallen in recent years from 95.2% in the 2019-20 school year to 92.5% in 2024-25, according to data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
If you suspect measles:
Isolate: Immediately isolate the patient in a single-patient airborne infection isolation room (AIIR), or in a private room with a closed door until an AIIR is available.
Notify: Immediately notify your local health department to ensure rapid testing and investigation.
Test: Submit a nasopharyngeal (NP) swab in viral transport media or universal transport media for PCR testing and a serum specimen for testing at the Division of Consolidated Laboratory Services (DCLS). Follow instructions for specimen collection and handling. Test results are available in less than 24 hours.
Identify: Begin identifying staff, patients, and visitors who might have been exposed to the patient. If measles is confirmed, exposed people will need to be contacted and assessed for immunity.
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