Maryland Health Officials Urge Vaccination as Measles Cases Emerge
Although Maryland has confirmed three measles cases this month, public health experts emphasize that a widespread outbreak is unlikely due to the state’s high vaccination rate — with over 96% of residents protected against the contagious virus.
Health authorities stress that while these recent cases are a concern, they are linked to international travel rather than local transmission. Dr. William Moss of the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health noted that the current situation reflects global patterns and is not necessarily cause for alarm unless more locally transmitted cases appear.
The Maryland Department of Health reported that one measles case involved a Howard County resident who had traveled internationally. Two others, from Prince George’s County, also contracted the virus abroad. All three cases had connections to Washington Dulles International Airport, but officials say they are unrelated to each other or to outbreaks in other states like Texas, New Mexico, and Oklahoma.
To err on the side of caution, officials released a list of locations — including flights, Metro routes, and hospitals — where possible exposure may have occurred.
According to the health department, Maryland sees sporadic measles cases — just one each in 2023 and earlier this year, and none from 2020 to 2022. Experts say that as long as most people are vaccinated, the risk of a major outbreak remains low.
Dr. Georges Benjamin of the American Public Health Association explained that while the virus could spread in communities with low vaccination rates or among children too young to be vaccinated, Maryland’s high immunity level offers strong protection.
Measles typically begins with symptoms like fever, runny nose, cough, and red eyes, followed by a signature rash. Although vaccinated individuals are rarely affected, breakthrough cases can occur. Dr. Moss urged anyone suspecting exposure to contact their healthcare provider first rather than visiting emergency rooms, given how easily measles spreads.
Vaccination is available starting at six months of age, and Maryland requires immunizations — including the MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccine — for school enrollment. However, the state permits religious exemptions, and experts are concerned about a steady rise in exemption requests since the COVID-19 pandemic. During the 2023–24 school year, 1.54% of kindergarteners were exempted on religious grounds, up from just 0.2% in 2002–03.
Dr. Moss emphasized that vaccination programs often become victims of their own success — as diseases become less visible, public concern diminishes, leading to increased vaccine hesitancy. He hopes the current measles cases will serve as a reminder of the importance of vaccination to prevent serious illness or death.
“If Maryland continues to uphold high vaccination rates,” Moss said, “we’re likely to avoid any significant spread from these recent cases.”
