2 MD Measles Cases Confirmed In Travelers Who Used VA Airports

BALTIMORE, MD — Two Prince George’s County residents who recently traveled together internationally have tested positive for measles, possibly exposing people who used two Northern Virginia airports or went to a medical clinic, the Maryland Department of Health said.

These cases are not associated with a Howard County resident who traveled out of the county and contracted measles earlier this month, or the measles outbreak in New Mexico, Texas and Oklahoma.

As a precaution, state and Prince George’s County health officials are working to identify people who might have been exposed to measles, including contacting potentially exposed passengers on specific flights.

Anyone who visited two DC-area airports, a medical center and other locations during these times might have been exposed to measles:

• Washington Dulles International Airport: Concourse A, on transportation to the International Arrivals Building (IAB) and in the baggage claim area
  • March 5, 8 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
• Kaiser Permanente Largo Medical Center, 1221 Mercantile Ln, Upper Marlboro
  • March 5, 7:30 p.m. to March 6, 4:30 a.m.
  • March 13, 4:15 a.m. to 10 a.m.
  • March 15, 7:45 a.m. to 3:15 p.m.
  • March 17, 2:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.
• Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport: Terminal Shuttle Bus
  • March 14, noon to 2:30 p.m.
• Washington Metro Area Transit: Yellow Line Train from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport station transferring at the L’Enfant Plaza station to the Silver Line Train heading toward the Downtown Largo station
  • March 14, 12:15 p.m. to 3:15 p.m.
• Passport Toyota, 5001 Auth Way, Suitland
  • March 17, 10 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Early symptoms of measles are a fever of more than 101 degrees, runny nose, cough, and red, watery eyes. Usually, one to four days after the early symptoms, a red rash appears on the face and spreads to the rest of the body.

Measles symptoms typically develop 10-14 days after exposure to the virus but can develop as soon as seven days and as long as 21 days after exposure. A person with measles is contagious, beginning four days before the rash appears, until four days after the rash begins.

What to Do If You Think You May Have Been Exposed

• People, 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 childcare, school, work, or out in public. Instead, they should contact their health care provider first rather than going to a waiting room or emergency room, so measures can be taken to prevent spread of the highly-contagious disease.
• If exposure occurred on March 15 or March 17, non-immune individuals may qualify for post-exposure treatments. People who might have been exposed and are not immune should contact their health care provider or call Prince George's County Health Department’s Infectious Disease Surveillance and Response Program at 301-583-3750 during normal business hours or 240-508-5774 after hours and on weekends.

Early symptoms of measles are a fever of more than 101 degrees, runny nose, cough, and red, watery eyes. Usually, one to four days after the early symptoms, a red rash appears on the face and spreads to the rest of the body.

Symptoms typically develop 10 to 14 days after exposure but can develop as soon as seven days and as long as 21 days after exposure. A person with measles is contagious, beginning four days before the rash appears until four days after the rash begins.

People are generally considered immune to measles if they are up-to-date on measles vaccination, have had a laboratory confirm they either had measles during their lifetime or are immune to measles, or were born before 1957.

Virginia residents with questions about their potential exposure can call the Virginia Department of Health at 804-363-2704 or email epi_response@vdh.virginia.gov.

Washington, D.C. residents with questions about their potential exposure can call DC Health at 844-493-2652 or email DOH.Epi@dc.gov.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends all travelers get fully vaccinated against measles before traveling internationally.

Measles cases occur sporadically in Maryland, with one case of measles identified in the state earlier this year, one in 2024, one in 2023, and no cases from 2020-2022.