Maryland has recorded a sharp increase in measles cases linked largely to travel, although no exposure locations have been identified in Worcester County.
The state has confirmed 12 cases since April, matching its total from the previous nine years combined. Eleven cases were linked to international or out-of-state travel, and health officials say they have found no evidence of sustained community transmission in Maryland.
The state’s health agency also reports there have been no ongoing community outbreaks. Contact tracing has shown no evidence of sustained, secondary community transmission originating from these travelers inside Maryland.
While the state does not disclose the counties where individual patients live, the Worcester County Health Department said it would promptly alert the public if contact tracing identified a local exposure site.
Contact tracing begins with interviews to determine where an infected person went while contagious and who may have been exposed. The county said it works with state and other local health departments to identify those locations and notify the public when necessary.
A person with measles can spread the virus beginning four days before a rash appears – meaning an infected visitor could move through public places before realizing they are sick.
Measles spreads through the air when an infected person breathes, coughs, or sneezes. The virus can remain in an enclosed space for up to two hours after that person leaves.