DC health officials: Person who flew in from Minnesota exposed several DC sites to measles

Washington, DC’s Department of Health is investigating after someone flew there from Minnesota and then visited several places while contagious with measles.

DC Health clarified that the person was not contagious at the time they flew into DC from Minnesota. Symptoms usually start 7-14 days after being exposed to measles, health officials said.

The following dates, times and locations were listed as potential exposure sites in DC:

• March 19 on the Amtrak Northeast Regional 175 Train Southbound from 7:30 p.m.-1:30 a.m.
• March 19 on the Amtrak concourse at Union Station from 11 p.m.-1:30 a.m.
• Saturday at MedStar Urgent Care Adams Morgan at 1805 Columbia Road NW from 7-11 p.m.

Health officials state that measles symptoms usually present in two stages:

• First stage, usually presents seven to 14 days after being exposed: fever, runny nose, red eyes and a cough
• Second stage, usually starts three to five days after initial symptoms: a rash appears on the face and spreads to the rest of the body. People are typically contagious four days before and after the rash appears.

The Minnesota Department of Health says there has been one case of measles so far in 2025. There were 70 cases in 2024.

Jayne Griffith, an epidemiologist for MDH, confirmed that the person was not contagious while in Minnesota, and that there were no exposures in Minnesota. The sick person had been vaccinated for measles — MDH adds that it is “very rare” to get the disease while vaccinated, but if it happens, the person will likely have mild symptoms and likely won’t transmit the disease to others.

More information on measles is available here.