Overview
- The Maryland Department of Health declared outbreaks Monday in St. Mary's, Carroll and Cecil counties after identifying 14 new confirmed measles cases.
- Those 14 cases raise the state total to 31 for 2026 with 27 confirmed since July 15 and all recent infections occurring in unvaccinated residents.
- Most transmission has been among household contacts with no identified public exposure locations, though several cases involved recent out-of-state travel.
- Health officials are urging people to check immunization records, get MMR vaccine if not up to date, and call a provider before visiting clinics if they may be infected; post-exposure treatments may be available for exposures on or after April 14, 2026.
- Measles is highly contagious and can hang in the air for up to two hours, symptoms usually appear 7 to 21 days after exposure, and routine MMR dosing protects most people with two childhood doses or documented adult vaccination.