Two cases of measles confirmed in Maryland residents who traveled out of state: officials

MARYLAND (WBFF) — Two Maryland residents who are from the Baltimore metro area and recently traveled to an area in the country with active measles transmission have contracted the disease, the Maryland Department of Health confirmed on Friday.

The exposure’s source is not definitively known at this time, but health officials said they’re working to identify people who may have come into contact with the infected individuals.

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Currently, there’s no known connection between these measles cases and an international travel-associated case reported by the MDH on Sunday, April 19.

The highly-contagious disease is spread easily through the air when an infectious person breathes, coughs or sneezes, officials said. The virus can remain in the air for up to two hours after the infected person leaves that area. It also spreads by direct contact and after touching infected surfaces.

Anyone who visited the following locations in Maryland during any of the listed dates and hours may have been exposed:

• Giant Foods Pasadena (4315 Mountain Rd., Pasadena) on April 12, 2026, from 10 a.m. – 1 p.m.
• Bean Rush Cafe (1121A Annapolis St., Annapolis) on April 14, 2026, from 8:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
• The building located at 2062 Generals Highway, Annapolis on April 15, 2026, from 1 – 4:30 p.m.
• Whole Foods Annapolis (200 Harker Pl., Ste. 100, Annapolis) on April 15, 2026, from 3:30 – 6:15 p.m.
• The building located at 181 Harry S. Truman Parkway, Annapolis on April 20, 2026, from 4 – 7 p.m.
• Arnold Professional Building (1521 Ritchie Highway, Arnold) on April 15, 2026, from 1 – 3:40 p.m.
• Arnold Professional Center (1509 Ritchie Highway, Arnold) on April 16, 2026, from 11:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m., and/or on April 20, 2026, from 10:50 a.m. – 2 p.m.
• Oakwood Professional Building (7845 Oakwood Rd., Glen Burnie) on April 14, 2026, from 4 – 7:15 p.m., and/or on April 15, 2026, from 10:30 a.m. – 1 p.m., and/or on April 20, 2026, from 9:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
• Baltimore Washington Medical Center Emergency Department (301 Hospital Dr., Glen Burnie) on April 20, 2026, from 9:45 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
• Patient First Pasadena (8105 Ritchie Highway, Pasadena) on April 21, 2026, from 11:45 a.m. – 3 p.m.

What you should do if you think you have been exposed:

• Find out if you have been vaccinated for measles or have had measles previously. If you have received two doses of a measles-containing vaccine, or were born before 1957, you are generally considered protected. To check your immunization status, call your healthcare provider or request records securely online via My Immunization Record “MyIR”.
• Individuals, 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 child care, school, work, or out in public, and should contact their health care provider. They should call their health care provider before going to a waiting room or emergency department so that the facility can take measures to prevent measles from spreading to others.
• If you are not fully vaccinated or otherwise immune to measles (i.e., you already had measles) and you might have been exposed, call your health care provider or your local health department as soon as possible to discuss the best next steps for you. If your exposure occurred on or after April 18, 2026, you may qualify for post-exposure treatments.

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

Vaccination remains essential to protecting ourselves, our families, and our communities against measles and other infectious diseases,” MDH Deputy Secretary for Public Health Services Dr. Meg Sullivan said via press release. “Talk with your healthcare provider to ensure you and your family are up to date with all recommended vaccines, including the MMR vaccine.”

The MDH recommends all eligible people get fully vaccinated against measles. The vaccine is routinely recommended at 12-15 months of age for the first dose and four- to six-years-old for the second dose. Sometimes a dose is given as early as six to 12 months if there is travel planned to an area with ongoing measles transmission.

The measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine is covered for those with health insurance and through the Vaccines for Children Program, officials said. Adults who are uninsured or underinsured can check with their local health department about the availability of a free vaccine as part of the Maryland Vaccine Program.

Measles cases occur sporadically in Maryland, with three cases of measles identified in Maryland last year, one in 2024, one in 2023 and no cases from 2020-2022. Prior to these cases, there has been one other confirmed case in a Maryland resident in 2026, a person who traveled internationally.

To protect the individuals’ privacy, the MDH will not provide any additional information about the individuals.