BALTIMORE, MD—The Maryland Department of Health and Prince George’s County health officials have announced positive cases of measles in two Prince George’s County residents who recently traveled together internationally. These cases are not associated with the recently confirmed measles case in a Howard County resident or the measles outbreak in New Mexico, Texas and Oklahoma. Out of an abundance of caution, health officials are coordinating to identify people who might have been exposed, including contacting potentially exposed passengers on specific flights.

Anyone who visited the following locations during any of the listed hours might have been exposed:

• Washington Dulles International Airport: Concourse A, on transportation to the International Arrivals Building (IAB) and in the baggage claim area

  • March 5th, 8:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

• Kaiser Permanente Largo Medical Center, 1221 Mercantile Ln, Upper Marlboro

  • March 5th, 7:30 p.m. – March 6th, 4:30 a.m.

  • March 13th, 4:15 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.

  • March 15th, 7:45 a.m. – 3: 15 p.m.

  • March 17th, 2:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

• Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport: Terminal Shuttle Bus

  • March 14th, 12:00 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.

• Washington Metro Area Transit: Yellow Line Train from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport station transferring at the L’Enfant Plaza station to the Silver Line Train heading towards the Downtown Largo station

  • March 14th, 12:15 p.m. – 3:15 p.m.

• Passport Toyota, 5001 Auth Way, Suitland

  • March 17th, 10:00 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.

What to Do If You Think You May Have Been Exposed

• People, especially those not fully 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.
• Exposed individuals who develop a fever or other symptoms of measles should not go to childcare, school, work, or out in public and should contact their health care provider. They should call their health care provider before presenting to a waiting room or emergency department so that the facility can take measures to prevent measles from spreading to others.
• If exposure occurred on March 15th or March 17th, non-immune individuals may qualify for post-exposure treatments. People who might have been exposed and are not immune should contact their health care provider or call Prince George’s County Health Department’s Infectious Disease Surveillance and Response Program for more guidance at 301-583-3750 during normal business hours or 240-508-5774 after hours and on weekends.

Early symptoms of measles are a fever of more than 101 degrees Fahrenheit, runny nose, cough, and red, watery eyes. Usually, one to four days after the early symptoms, a red rash appears on the face and spreads to the rest of the body. Symptoms typically develop 10 to 14 days after exposure but can develop as soon as seven days and as long as 21 days after exposure. A person with measles is contagious, beginning four days before the rash appears until four days after the rash begins.

People are generally considered immune to measles if they are up to date on measles vaccination, have had a laboratory confirm they either had measles during their lifetime or are immune to measles, or were born before 1957.

Virginia residents with questions about their potential exposure can call the Virginia Department of Health at 804-363-2704 or email [email protected].

Washington, D.C. residents with questions about their potential exposure can call DC Health at 844-493-2652 or email [email protected].

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends all travelers get fully vaccinated against measles before traveling to an international destination. Traditionally, the measles vaccine is given around a child’s first birthday. However, a family with a child under one year of age and traveling internationally can contact their health care provider to discuss their travel destination and appropriate vaccines to get before the trip. In specific instances, the measles vaccine can be given as early as six months old.

Measles cases occur sporadically in Maryland, with one case of measles identified in Maryland earlier this year, one in 2024, one in 2023, and no cases from 2020-2022.

Photo via Pixabay

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