The Maryland Department of Health has confirmed a case of measles involving an individual who traveled through Maryland while infectious late January 7 through early January 8, 2026.
Health officials say the person was contagious during travel on several public transportation routes, potentially exposing others. Measles is a highly contagious viral illness that spreads easily through the air when an infected person breathes, coughs, or sneezes, and it can also spread through direct contact with infectious droplets.
Anyone who shared the following public conveyances during the listed dates and times may have been exposed:
An Amtrak Northeast Regional train traveling from Philadelphia 30th Street Station to Washington, D.C. Union Station on January 7, 2026, between 9 and 11:30 p.m.
The Amtrak BWI Shuttle traveling to and from the BWI train station and drop-off points outside the lower level of BWI Airport from 10:45 p.m. on January 7 through 1:30 a.m. on January 8, 2026.
The BWI Airport Parking Shuttle traveling between the lower-level pickup area outside BWI Airport and the airport’s long-term parking lots from 11 p.m. on January 7 through 2 a.m. on January 8, 2026.
State health officials emphasized that no measles exposures were identified inside the terminals at BWI Airport. Additional exposures occurred in other states, and those details will be released by the respective state health departments. Anyone who was not present at the listed locations during the specified times was not exposed to the individual in Maryland while they were infectious.
Health officials recommend that anyone who believes they may have been exposed first determine their measles immunity status. Individuals who have received two doses of a measles-containing vaccine or who were born before 1957 are generally considered protected. Immunization records can be checked by contacting a healthcare provider or by requesting records securely online through My Immunization Record, known as MyIR.
Those who are not fully vaccinated or otherwise immune and may have been exposed should contact their healthcare provider or local health department to discuss next steps. Individuals are advised to monitor for symptoms for 21 days following potential exposure.
Early symptoms of measles include a fever over 101 degrees Fahrenheit, runny nose, cough, and red, watery eyes. One to four days later, a red rash typically appears on the face and spreads to the rest of the body. Symptoms usually develop 10 to 14 days after exposure but can appear as early as seven days or as late as 21 days. A person with measles is contagious from four days before the rash appears through four days after it begins.
Anyone who develops symptoms should stay home and avoid school, work, childcare, and public places. Health officials advise calling a healthcare provider before visiting a medical office or emergency department so precautions can be taken to prevent further spread.
“Vaccination remains essential to protecting ourselves, our families, and our communities against measles and other infectious diseases,” said Maryland Department of Health Deputy Secretary for Public Health Services Dr. Meg Sullivan. “These types of situations underscore the importance of knowing your vaccination status and ensuring you are up to date with all recommended vaccines.”
Measles cases occur sporadically in Maryland. There have been no reported cases so far in 2026. The state recorded three cases in 2025, one case in 2024, one case in 2023, and no cases from 2020 through 2022.
