The Commonwealth of Virginia

RICHMOND, Va. (WAVY) — The Virginia Department of Health was notified of a confirmed case of measles at Washington Dulles International Airport on Wednesday.

The confirmed case involved an individual returning from an international trip. Health officials are coordinating efforts to identify those who might have been exposed.

According to the VDH, the exposure happened in Terminal A on the transportation to the main terminal and in the baggage claim area between 4 p.m. and 9 p.m.

Measles is described by the VDH as a highly contagious illness that can spread easily through the air when an infected person breathes, coughs or sneezes. Measles symptoms usually appear in two stages. In the first stage, people experience a fever greater than 101 degrees, runny nose, watery red eyes, and a cough. These symptoms typically start seven to 14 days after being exposed.

The second stage starts three to five days after symptoms start when a rash begins to appear on the face and spread to the rest of the body.

According to the VDH, people with measles are contagious from four days before the rash appears through four days after the rash appeared.

Additionally, the VDH provided recommendations for those who were at the above location at the specified date and time:

If you have not received a vaccine containing measles you may be at risk for developing measles Anyone exposed or considered to be at risk should contact their health provider Watch your symptoms until March 26 and if you develop symptoms immediately isolate yourself at home Contact your health provider right away and call the office prior to going to the office or emergency room to notify them that you have been exposed to measles Anyone with an immunocompromised condition should should consult with their healthcare provider if they have any questions or develop any symptoms If you have received two doses of a vaccine containing measles or were born before 1957 you are protected and do not need to take action If you have received only one dose of a vaccine containing measles you are likely to be protected and your risk from exposure is low To achieve full immunity contact your healthcare provider about getting a second dose of the vaccine

If you have any questions about potential exposure, contact your healthcare provider or call VDH at (804) 363-2704.

Owners of the commuter rail system Virginia Railway Express on Thursday signed off on a five-year, $155 million agreement to purchase the Manassas Line, allowing the system to enhance service reliability and provide control over stations and schedules between Washington D.C. and Northern Virginia.

The Manassas Line originates at Union Station in Washington, D.C., and goes to Broad Run in Prince William County.

The move will give the rail system ownership of Seminary Yard in Alexandria, allowing the system to enhance the existing freight rail yard and construct a midday storage facility. The ownership rights will also give VRE the Broad Run Corridor from Alexandria to Broad Run, the permanent easement to five station platforms and the permanent commuter rail operating easement along the Manassas Line.

On Thursday night, the Northern Virginia Transportation Commission and the Potomac and Rappahannock River Transportation Commission, co-partners of VRE, officially voted at separate meetings to authorize the VRE chief executive officer to execute a funding agreement with the Virginia Passenger Rail Authority (VPRA).

The agreement is part of VRE’s System Plan 2050 designed to help officials address the public’s changing travel patterns, including those of commuting office workers, which have shifted over the past decade. The plan is also focused on maximizing daily riders and expanding daily service offering non-peak and weekend service.

“This is a long-term investment towards the future,” said NVTC Vice Chair Sarah Bagley at the meeting. She also serves as chair of the VRE Operations Board.

The decision by the governing bodies comes after VPRA and Norfolk Southern Railway Company agreed to purchase the Manassas Line last summer. In its Manassas Line Funding Agreement with VPRA, VRE committed to a multi-year funding schedule in exchange for four railroad property interests along the Manassas Line.

The groups said the properties are “critical” to VRE’s current and future commuter rail operations.

The agreement does not identify the specific source or sources of funds for each scheduled payment. However, the deal does provide a general framework for the funding commitment.

Under the agreement, VRE is committing to contributing $155 million to VRPA in six approximately equal payments. The final payment is expected to be on July 10, 2029.

The NVTC board discussed that while the agreement appears to be an added cost, investing in acquiring the railroad properties will create savings by cutting back on the rising costs of storing rail cars and leasing the Manassas Line.

VRE Chief Financial Officer Mark Schofield said on Thursday having its storage yard could also allow the system to enable other operators to store their railcars.

“The property acquisition piece of this was not something that we had maybe contemplated a couple of years ago, but we are making a very positive trade in terms of the cost of the midday storage yard,” Schofield said on Thursday.

Fairfax County Supervisor James Walkinshaw added, “We can’t just pick up the railcars and move them to some other track. We’re captured (and) that’s always a challenging negotiation.”