DC flags ‘March for Life’ rally as measles exposure site

DC Health warns of measles exposure

Washington, D.C., health officials announced on Feb. 9 that three people with confirmed measles visited locations across the city while contagious.

The exposure period runs from Jan. 21 to Feb. 2 and includes some of the busiest spots in the nation’s capital. DC Health said it is working to identify people who may be at risk.

The agency urged anyone who visited the listed locations to check their vaccination status or contact a health care provider right away.

March for Life rally among exposure sites

The National March for Life rally and concert on Jan. 23 is one of the locations where people may have been exposed.

The annual event on the National Mall drew tens of thousands of attendees from across the country, making it one of the largest annual gatherings in Washington.

Vice President JD Vance and House Speaker Mike Johnson spoke at the rally, and President Trump delivered a pre-recorded video message.

That kind of crowd makes contact tracing especially difficult.

Full list of DC exposure sites

The exposure sites span more than a week. On Jan. 21, an infected person visited the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception from 3:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.

The March for Life rally on Jan. 23 is flagged from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Catholic University of America’s Garvey Hall was listed for Jan. 24 and 25.

Reagan National Airport, Metro Yellow and Red Line trains, and Union Station all appear for Jan. 26 and 27. Children’s National Hospital’s Emergency Department rounds out the list on Feb. 2.

Children’s National Hospital issues separate notice

Children’s National Hospital also issued its own public health notice about a separate measles exposure.

A Virginia resident with a confirmed case visited the Emergency Department on Feb. 2 while contagious. The exposure areas include the Emergency Department, the Orthopedic Clinic, and nearby corridors.

The hospital is working with both D. C. and Virginia health departments on the case. Hospitals are among the highest-risk settings because sick patients often have weakened immune systems.

Transit hubs flagged as exposure points

Busy transit hubs are on the list too. Reagan National Airport’s Terminal 2 was flagged as an exposure site on Jan. 26 from 12:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.

An infected person rode the Metro Yellow Line from Reagan National and transferred to the Red Line at Gallery Place-Chinatown that same day.

Union Station and an Amtrak Northeast Regional train also made the list. Health officials noted that measles spreads easily in crowded, enclosed spaces like airports, trains, and subway cars.

What to do if you were exposed

Anyone who visited the listed locations should find out whether they have been vaccinated for measles. People who have received two doses of the MMR vaccine or were born before 1957 are considered protected.

Those who are not immune should contact a health care provider or call DC Health at 844-493-2652. Watch for symptoms for 21 days after the exposure date.

Symptoms include fever, runny nose, watery red eyes, cough, and a rash that starts on the face and spreads downward. If symptoms appear, isolate at home and call a provider before visiting any medical office.

733 measles cases nationwide in 2026

The CDC confirmed 733 measles cases across 20 states as of Feb. 5. About 92 percent of this year’s cases are linked to outbreaks that started in 2025.

That number already tops four times the pre-2025 annual average of about 180 cases. Last year brought 2,276 confirmed cases, the highest annual total since the early 1990s.

The numbers show a virus that is not slowing down, and health officials say the pattern could continue without higher vaccination rates.

Most cases are in unvaccinated people

About 94 percent of 2026 measles cases involve people who are unvaccinated or whose vaccination status is unknown.

Children and teens account for roughly 85 percent of cases, with 27 percent in children under age 5. About 3 percent of patients have needed hospital care. Measles is one of the most contagious diseases known.

It can infect about nine out of 10 unvaccinated people who come in contact with it, which is why even small gaps in vaccination can spark large outbreaks.

South Carolina outbreak tops 920 cases

South Carolina is dealing with the largest measles outbreak in the country, with 920 confirmed cases since last fall.

Spartanburg County accounts for about 95 percent of those cases, and 840 of the patients are unvaccinated.

The state reported 44 new cases in the most recent week alone.

There is some good news: health officials said January was the best month for measles vaccination during the outbreak, with Spartanburg County seeing a 162 percent increase in doses compared to the year before.

Top health official urges vaccination

CMS Administrator Dr. Mehmet Oz urged Americans to get the measles vaccine during a Feb. 9 interview on CNN. Oz said Medicare, Medicaid, and marketplace insurance plans will continue to cover the MMR vaccine.

He called measles a disease people should be concerned about and said “there would be no barriers to accessing the vaccine.” Federal guidance recommending measles vaccination has not changed.

The CDC recommends two doses of the MMR vaccine, the first at 12 to 15 months and the second between ages 4 and 6.

US measles elimination status at risk

The United States has held measles elimination status since 2000, meaning the virus was no longer spreading continuously within the country.

That status is now under review.

PAHO, a branch of the World Health Organization, has invited the U.S. to a virtual meeting on April 13 to assess whether it still qualifies. Canada lost its elimination status in November 2025 after prolonged outbreaks.

Experts say declining vaccination rates have left American communities more vulnerable, with just 92.5 percent of kindergartners receiving the MMR vaccine in the 2024-2025 school year, below the 95 percent threshold for strong community protection.

Vaccination rates have been declining

That 92.5 percent kindergarten vaccination rate is down from 95.2 percent during the 2019-2020 school year.

Vaccine exemptions among kindergartners rose to 3.6 percent in the 2024-2025 school year, up from 3.3 percent the year before. Exemptions increased in 36 states and Washington, D.C.

Some counties have fewer than 60 percent of children under age 5 with even one measles vaccine dose. Public health experts say the drop in vaccination rates is the main factor driving the return of measles outbreaks across the country.

This article was created with AI assistance and human editing.

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