Detection of a radio halo in the Virgo cluster

New Effelsberg 1.4 GHz observations of the central 10degrees x 10degrees of the Virgo cluster are presented. NVSS data are used to Subtract point sources from our map. During the data reduction process special care is taken (i) to disentangle emission from the North Polar Spur from emission from the Virgo cluster, (ii) to disentangle emission from the strong M 87 sidelobes from emission from the Virgo Cluster, and (iii) to correct for non-linear ground emission due to the long scans. We detect a low surface brightness radio halo with a flux density of 5 +/- 1.5 Jy centered close to the elliptical galaxy M 86. This halo is Much weaker than that observed in the Coma cluster. It is reminiscent of a past interaction between the intracluster medium of M 86 and a low density gas, belonging most probably to the Virgo cluster.