Virginia has already confirmed 10 measles cases in the first two months of 2026, double the number of cases reported in all of 2025.
Most of them are in Northern Virginia. None have been confirmed so far this year in Hampton Roads.
Laurie Forlano, state epidemiologist and director of the office of epidemiology at Virginia Department of Health, said the recent increase doesn’t indicate significant local transmission.
“In Virginia, we are not experiencing what we would consider an outbreak,” Forlano said. “Rather, we've had these sporadic travel, mostly travel related cases, both internationally and domestically.”
Measles cases are on the rise nationally. The U.S. reported 2,281 confirmed measles cases in 2025. Just two months into 2026, 1,136 cases have already been recorded.
Forlano said as long as global and U.S. measles activity remain elevated — with 2025 tallying one of the highest national case counts in decades — Virginia will likely continue to see occasional imported infections.
“Measles doesn't respect a state boundary or a county line,” Forlano said.
Nine of the 10 confirmed cases this year are in the state’s Northern region, which includes Fairfax, Arlington, Loudoun and Prince William counties.
Last fall, a student at Trantwood Elementary School in Virginia Beach was confirmed as the region’s first measles case and the fourth case of 2025 in the state.
Forlano noted that densely populated areas tend to report more cases simply because there are more people. That does not necessarily mean those areas are at greater risk, she said.
Norfolk, home to the world’s largest naval base, an international airport and a major port, also sees significant travel. International travel remains a key driver of measles exposure in Virginia.
“That’s definitely something we consider, and that’s a very real variable,” Forlano said, referring to ports, cruise ships and air travel.
Forlano noted Virginia’s measles vaccination rate among kindergarteners remains around 95%, a level generally considered protective at the community level. However, statewide averages can mask communities where coverage is lower.
In Chesapeake, kindergarten vaccine coverage is 85%. In Virginia Beach, it is roughly 89%, both below the state average.
Forlano said the state saw some declines in measles vaccine coverage during the pandemic, largely because families delayed routine doctor visits.
Those rates have largely rebounded in recent years and she described Virginia’s immunization infrastructure as strong, pointing to the state’s Vaccines for Children program.
“I feel pretty good about our vaccine rates in Virginia,” Forlano said. “What we worry about is if a person with measles enters a community that might have a lower vaccination rate than what we would consider generally protective. That’s where measles can take hold.”
Religious exemptions have also continued to steadily rise, she noted, though Virginia’s exemption rates remain below the national average.
The state recommends that children receive the MMR vaccine for measles, mumps and rubella according to the American Academy of Pediatrics schedule.
