
Maryland health officials yesterday warned that a Maryland resident with a confirmed case of measles may have exposed people to the highly contagious virus at Washington Dulles International Airport and a local healthcare facility.
In a news release yesterday, the Maryland Department of Health confirmed a positive case of measles in a Howard County resident who recently traveled internationally. Department officials said anyone who was at Terminal A at Washington Dulles on March 5 from 4:00 pm to 9:00 pm or Johns Hopkins Howard County Medical Center Pediatric Emergency Department on March 7 from 3:30 pm to 7:30 pm may have been exposed to the virus.
"People, especially those not vaccinated or otherwise immune to measles, who were at any of these locations during the possible exposure times should monitor themselves for any early symptoms of measles for 21 days after the potential exposure," department officials said.
Official US case count: 222
On March 7, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a Health Alert Network advisory urging healthcare professionals to ensure that all patients without other evidence of measles immunity, especially those planning international travel, are up to date on the MMR vaccine. In its most recent update on the same day, the CDC confirmed 222 US measles cases so far this year.
The Maryland case is the first measles case in that state this year. Maryland experienced one case each in 2024 and 2023, and none from 2020 through 2022.