A Howard County resident contracted the virus during international travel, public health officials said.
A positive case of measles was identified in Maryland, public health officials said Sunday.
The highly contagious virus was detected in a Howard County resident who had recently traveled internationally, authorities said. The case comes as health officials monitor a growing number of cases across a dozen states.
The Maryland case is not related to the measles outbreak in Texas and New Mexico, where public health officials in recent weeks have reported more than 200 cases and two deaths.
Local authorities are working to identify who else in the area may have been exposed to measles, and they said others may have come into contact with the virus at the following locations:
Washington Dulles International Airport in Terminal A; on transportation to the main terminal; and in the baggage claim area between 4 p.m. and 9 p.m. on Wednesday, March 5.Johns Hopkins Howard County Medical Center Pediatric Emergency Department on Friday, March 7, between 3:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
Measles spreads easily through the air or on direct contact with infectious droplets. Virginia public health officials said people who were at the above locations and have not been fully vaccinated against measles should contact their health-care provider, watch for symptoms and isolate themselves from others if symptoms develop.
Early symptoms of the virus include a fever of more than 101 degrees Fahrenheit, runny nose, cough, and red, watery eyes. Within one to four days, a red rash will appear on an infected person's face and body, according to officials.
The virus can cause serious health complications, such as pneumonia, inflammation of the brain or death, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
People who have been vaccinated are generally safe. Two doses provide lifetime protection, officials said.
Measles is one of the most contagious diseases in the world. But thanks to an effective vaccine, global health officials 25 years ago declared the disease had been eliminated from the United States.
Although cases sometimes pop up, the country continues to have high levels of immunization -- making the chances of a widespread outbreak low, the CDC said. But authorities are warning local health departments to be vigilant for new cases as the spring and summer travel season approaches.
Meanwhile, slipping immunization rates in some parts of the country, along with vaccine skepticism. are giving the disease new life.
The Maryland case come days after an unvaccinated adult in New Mexico tested positive for measles, then died. The person had not sought medical care before death, the state's public health leaders said. Before that, on Feb. 26, an unvaccinated but otherwise healthy 6-year-old died after contracting measles.
Measles also was detected in Maryland last year, amid a global rise in cases. And in 2022, Virginia health officials reported an unvaccinated child had contracted the disease while traveling internationally.
The CDC recommends vaccination as the best defense against infections.
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