FACT CHECK: Reported Measles Exposure In Virginia Not Linked To Disease X
A video shared on Instagram claims a reported Measles exposure in Virginia is linked to “Disease X.”
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Verdict: False
The Virginia Department of Health (VDH) issued a press release on Jan. 13 indicating they were “notified of a confirmed case of measles in a person who traveled through Northern Virginia when returning from international travel.” No link to “Disease X” is mentioned. Spokespersons for the VDH and World Health Organization (WHO) denied a link to “Disease X” in respective emails to Check Your Fact.
Fact Check:
Healthcare experts discussed “Disease X” during a recent panel at the World Economic Forum’s 2024 meeting in Davos, according to Axios. While “Disease X” is a term for a potential future pathogen, scientists and researchers believe this disease could be “20 times deadlier than COVID-19,” CBS News reported.
“BREAKING: Reports are coming in that passengers in the state of Virginia might have been exposed to highly contagious Measles,” text overlay on the Instagram video showing travelers walking through a busy airport reads. Included in the text overlay is an arrow pointing to the phrase “Disease X,” followed by the phrase “Election 2024.” The video has received over 400 likes as of writing.
The claim that the reported Measles exposure is linked to “Disease X” is false, however. In a Jan. 13 press release, the VDH indicated they were “notified of a confirmed case of measles in a person who traveled through Northern Virginia when returning from international travel.” As a result, the Department informed travelers at various locations, including Dulles International Airport and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport, that they may have been exposed, according to the same release. No link to “Disease X” is mentioned.
In addition, Washington D.C.’s Department of Health issued a similar press release on Jan. 16. This release also did not link the reported Measles exposure to “Disease X.” (RELATED: Fake CNN Headline Claiming Ben Carson Discovered A Natural Remedy For High Blood Pressure Spread Online)
Travelers who were at Dulles International Airport on Jan. 3 between 4:00 and 8:00 p.m. and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport on Jan. 4 between 2:30 and 6:30 p.m. were likely exposed, according to NBC Washington.
Likewise, Check Your Fact found no credible news reports linking the reported Measles exposure to “Disease X.” In fact, the opposite is true. Appearing in the search results is a Jan. 19 article from USA Today, which also labeled the claim as false.
Furthermore, “‘Disease X’ is included to indicate an unknown pathogen that could cause a serious international epidemic,” according to the WHO. The disease was included in a list of over 25 viruses and bacteria the WHO planned to prioritize in terms of their research efforts in 2022.
Dr. Laurie Forlano, director of the VDH’s Office of Epidemiology, denied a link between the reported Measles exposure and “Disease X” in an email to Check Your Fact.
“The potential measles exposures in Northern Virginia are a result of a person with confirmed measles who traveled through these airports while (unknowingly) infectious with measles. That is, we have no information that would cause us to believe that this is a different virus,” Forlano said.
A spokesperson for the WHO also denied any link, explaining, “‘Disease X’ is a placeholder term often used to refer to a potential unknown pathogen that could cause a future pandemic or health crisis, and to remind the world that we need to prepare for unknown diseases along with known threats. These diseases have the potential to cause a severe epidemic for which we don’t have enough or no known medical countermeasures. The list is for donors, researchers, and scientists, urging them to focus on these specific diseases with epidemic potential. The recommendation process includes both scientific and public health criteria, as well as criteria related to socioeconomic impact, access, and equity. The first list was published in 2017.”
In addition to “Disease X,” other viruses such as COVID-19, Zika, and Ebola are included in the WHO’s current list of diseases with epidemic potential, the same spokesperson indicated.
