Measles Case Confirmed in Howard County
Measles Case Reported in Howard County: Maryland Health Officials Warn of Exposure
A Howard County resident who recently traveled abroad has tested positive for measles, the Maryland Department of Health confirmed Sunday. Now, state and local public health officials are working to identify anyone who may have been exposed to the highly contagious virus.
According to the health department, individuals who were at Washington Dulles International Airport in Virginia between 4 p.m. and 9 p.m. on Wednesday or at Johns Hopkins Howard County Medical Center’s pediatric emergency department between 3:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. on Friday may have been exposed to the virus.
Health officials specified that the exposure risk at Dulles was likely confined to Terminal A, the transit area to the main terminal, and the baggage claim area.
People who were at these locations during the listed timeframes are being urged to monitor for symptoms such as fever, cough, runny nose, red and watery eyes, and a red rash. Anyone who develops symptoms is advised to contact their healthcare provider immediately and avoid public places, including childcare centers, schools, and workplaces, to prevent potential spread.
During a press briefing on Sunday, health officials declined to provide details about the infected individual, including their vaccination status but emphasized the importance of vaccination in preventing the spread of measles.
“Vaccination is by far the best defense against measles,” said Lucia Donatelli, chief of the health department’s Center for Immunization, Infectious Disease Epidemiology and Outbreak Response Bureau.
Measles is known to be extremely contagious — capable of lingering in the air for up to two hours after an infected person has left an area. According to health experts, one in five people who contract the virus may require hospitalization, and complications can include pneumonia, brain swelling, and even death.
While Maryland has reported sporadic measles cases in recent years — with one case in both 2022 and 2023 — the current case has heightened concern among health officials amid a growing outbreak in the Southwestern U.S.
Recent outbreaks in Texas and New Mexico have resulted in over 200 cases in Texas and at least 30 in New Mexico, according to The Associated Press. Tragically, two people have died from the virus, including an unvaccinated child in Texas and an unvaccinated adult in New Mexico.
However, Maryland health officials clarified that the Howard County case is not linked to the Southwest outbreak. Donatelli noted that the Texas outbreak has primarily affected an under-vaccinated region of West Texas, where nearly one in five kindergartners have opted out of the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine.
Maryland, by contrast, maintains higher vaccination rates, though some under-vaccinated pockets still exist, according to health officials.
Measles was declared eliminated in the United States in 2000, though occasional cases still occur when unvaccinated individuals travel to or from countries where the virus is more prevalent.
Maryland requires school-age children to be vaccinated, though exemptions for religious or medical reasons are allowed. However, during the COVID-19 pandemic, vaccination rates nationwide dropped below the 95% threshold required for herd immunity, increasing the potential for outbreaks.
Symptoms of measles typically appear 10 to 14 days after exposure, starting with fever, runny nose, cough, and red eyes. A distinctive red rash follows within one to four days, beginning on the face and spreading to the rest of the body.
Health officials warn that an infected person is contagious up to four days before the rash appears and up to four days after.
Certain groups, including pregnant women, infants under a year old, and immunocompromised individuals, are at higher risk of severe complications from measles.
The Maryland Department of Health is urging anyone who may have been exposed and is in an at-risk group to contact their healthcare provider or the Howard County Health Department’s Infectious Disease Surveillance and Response Program at 410-313-6284 for guidance.
To prevent the spread of measles, officials strongly advise symptomatic individuals to call ahead before visiting hospitals, urgent care centers, or doctors’ offices.
For more information, visit the Maryland Department of Health’s website or contact your local health department.