Measles outbreak in Virginia county grows to nearly 90 cases

BUCKINGHAM COUNTY, Va. (WRIC) — A measles outbreak in Buckingham County, Va., has grown to nearly 90 confirmed cases. State health officials are asking anyone who may be sick or who is not vaccinated to avoid large gatherings.

Measles, a highly infectious and potentially serious disease, has been on the rise across America, with the nation seeing a historic uptick in cases. As of Thursday, June 11, Virginia has seen 111 confirmed cases of measles during the first half of 2026, according to the Virginia Department of Health’s (VDH) measles dashboard.

The vast majority of these cases are related to an ongoing outbreak in Buckingham. Originally reported on May 13, this outbreak has sickened at least 88 people in less than a month. State health officials caution that additional unreported or undiscovered cases may exist.

The VDH stresses that measles is “easily preventable” through vaccination, with two doses of this vaccine providing lifetime protection.

State health officials credit this sharp rise in cases to “increased travel-related exposures, both international and domestic, and declining national vaccination rates.” While Virginia has overall high vaccination rates against measles, “some communities within Virginia may have lower vaccination rates, making them more susceptible to measles outbreaks,” the VDH........

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