The Maryland Department of Health has announced that a Howard County resident has tested positive for measles after recently traveling through Dulles International Airport.
Health officials are working to identify anyone who may have been exposed, including fellow passengers on specific flights.
This case is not related to the outbreaks in Texas and New Mexico, according to a news release.
Who Was Exposed?
Anyone who visited the following locations may have been exposed:
- Washington Dulles Airport: Terminal A, on transportation to the main terminal, and at baggage claim on March 5 between 4 and 9 p.m.
- Johns Hopkins Howard County Medical Center Pediatric Emergency Department on March 7 between 3:30 and 7:30 p.m.
Anyone who was in those locations and is not fully vaccinated against measles should contact their health care provider, the Virginia Department of Health said.
Watch for symptoms until March 26 and isolate yourself if you notice any symptoms.
About Measles
Measles is highly contagious and spreads through the air when an infected person breathes, coughs, or sneezes.
Symptoms appear in two stages. The first, which appears seven to 14 days after exposure, includes a fever, runny nose, watery red eyes, and a cough. The second, which begins three to five days after symptoms appear, includes a rash on the face that spreads to the rest of the body.
Severe complications from measles can include pneumonia, encephalitis, and death.
The MMR vaccine is considered safe and effective, VDH says, and two doses of the vaccine are given to provide lifetime protection. The Centers for Disease Control says that two doses of the vaccine are 97 percent effective at preventing measles, and one dose is 93 percent effective.
Infants under 1 year old are too young to receive the vaccine. Anyone who has not been vaccinated is considered susceptible to infection.
So far, there have been 222 cases of measles in the United States in 2025, including two deaths, according to the CDC.
Feature image, stock.adobe.com
