Virginia Department of Health Declares Measles Outbreak in Buckingham County with 12 Confirmed Cases

The Virginia Department of Health declared a measles outbreak in Buckingham County on May 13, 2026, after identifying 12 confirmed cases with more expected. The outbreak represents a significant escalation from Virginia's 8 total cases by February 2026 and just 5 cases in all of 2025. No patients reported recent travel, indicating local transmission within the community. Health officials attribute the outbreak risk to declining vaccination rates, which dropped nationally from 95.2% in 2019-20 to 92.5% in 2024-25, below the 95% threshold needed to prevent measles outbreaks. The department urges Virginians to get the MMR vaccine and instructs healthcare providers to immediately isolate suspected cases and notify local health departments for rapid testing.

Buckingham County measles outbreak

• ▪The Virginia Department of Health identified 12 outbreak-associated measles cases in Buckingham County, Virginia as of May 13, 2026
• ▪The Virginia Department of Health announced a measles outbreak in Buckingham County, Virginia
• ▪Five measles cases were reported throughout all of 2025 in Virginia
• ▪In February 2026, the Virginia Department of Health confirmed the first measles case of the year in Central Virginia, which brought the statewide total to 8 cases

Local transmission patterns

• ▪The timing of the Buckingham County measles cases suggests local transmission without travel
• ▪No patients in the Buckingham County measles outbreak reported recent travel
• ▪The Virginia Department of Health stated there are likely more measles cases in Buckingham County than have been reported

Measles symptom timeline

• ▪Measles rash appears three to five days after the first symptoms, usually beginning as flat red spots on the face at the hairline and spreading downward to the neck, trunk, arms, legs, and feet
• ▪Tiny white spots called Koplik spots may appear inside the mouth two to three days after measles symptoms begin
• ▪Measles symptoms appear seven to 14 days after contact with the virus
• ▪Measles typically begins with high fever that may spike to more than 104°F, cough, runny nose, and red watery eyes

Vaccination rates decline

• ▪Measles requires a 95% vaccination rate to prevent outbreaks
• ▪National vaccination rates in the United States fell from 95.2% in the 2019-20 school year to 92.5% in 2024-25
• ▪The Virginia Department of Health encouraged Virginians to stay up to date on their vaccination, noting the MMR vaccine is the best protection against measles

Clinical response protocols

• ▪Measles testing requires submitting a nasopharyngeal 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
• ▪Measles test results from the Division of Consolidated Laboratory Services are available in less than 24 hours
• ▪Suspected measles patients should be immediately isolated in a single-patient airborne infection isolation room or in a private room with a closed door until an airborne infection isolation room is available
• ▪Healthcare providers should immediately notify their local health department when measles is suspected to ensure rapid testing and investigation