Washington, D.C. – March 11, 2025 – A confirmed case of measles detected in a traveler arriving at Washington Dulles International Airport has sparked concern among health officials, marking the latest instance of the highly contagious virus infiltrating a major U.S. transportation hub. The Maryland Department of Health announced on Sunday that a Howard County resident, who had recently returned from international travel, tested positive for measles, potentially exposing countless travelers at Dulles and visitors to a Maryland hospital. This incident underscores a troubling resurgence of measles across the United States, with outbreaks reported in multiple states this year.
The infected individual passed through Washington Dulles International Airport’s Terminal A, including the international arrivals area, transportation to the main terminal, and baggage claim, between 4 p.m. and 9 p.m. ET on March 5, according to a press release from the Maryland Department of Health. Two days later, on March 7, the person visited the Johns Hopkins Howard County Medical Center Pediatric Emergency Department between 3:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. ET. Authorities are now racing to identify and contact those who may have been exposed, urging anyone present at these locations during the specified times to monitor for symptoms through March 26—21 days after the last potential exposure date.
“Measles is one of the most infectious diseases known to science,” said Dr. Lucia Donatelli of the Maryland Department of Health’s Center for Immunization in an interview with CBS Baltimore. “If one person has it, up to 9 out of 10 unprotected individuals nearby will become infected.” Symptoms typically emerge 7 to 21 days after exposure, beginning with fever, cough, runny nose, and red, watery eyes, followed by a distinctive rash that spreads from the face downward.
The Virginia Department of Health has also issued alerts, advising travelers to confirm their vaccination status. Those who have received two doses of the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine—or were born in the U.S. before 1957—are considered immune. However, unvaccinated individuals, pregnant women, infants under 12 months, and immunocompromised people are at heightened risk and should contact healthcare providers immediately if they suspect exposure.
A National Surge in Measles Cases
This case at Dulles is not an isolated event but part of a broader wave of measles outbreaks across the U.S. in 2025. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports 222 confirmed cases across 12 jurisdictions as of March 7, surpassing the 285 cases recorded throughout all of 2024. Texas and New Mexico have been hit hardest, with Texas reporting 198 cases and 23 hospitalizations as of Friday, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services. New Mexico has confirmed 30 cases, concentrated in Lea County near the Texas border.
Tragically, the resurgence has claimed lives. In late February, an unvaccinated school-aged child in Texas became the first U.S. measles fatality in a decade. A second death—an unvaccinated adult—occurred in New Mexico last week, highlighting the virus’s lethal potential. Nearly half of this year’s cases have affected children and teens aged 5 to 19, many of whom were unvaccinated, per CDC data cited by the Daily Mail.
Other states reporting cases include Alaska, California, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, New Jersey, New York City, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Washington. Recent incidents at Los Angeles International Airport and New York’s JFK Airport—where infected travelers passed through in the past two weeks—mirror the Dulles situation, signaling a pattern tied to international travel and declining vaccination rates.
Vaccination Debate and Public Health Response
Measles was declared eliminated in the U.S. in 2000 due to widespread MMR vaccination, which remains 97% effective with two doses, according to the CDC. However, slipping immunization rates—now below the 95% threshold needed for herd immunity in some areas—have fueled these outbreaks. Maryland officials emphasize that their state’s high vaccination rate among school-aged children has kept local spread rare, with only one case each in 2023 and 2024 prior to this incident.
The Dulles case has reignited debates over vaccination, particularly as Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a noted vaccine skeptic, assumes leadership of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). In a March 3 Fox News op-ed, Kennedy expressed concern about the Texas and New Mexico outbreaks, stating, “Vaccines not only protect individual children from measles, but also contribute to community immunity,” while adding, “The decision to vaccinate is a personal one.” He has also promoted vitamin A as a treatment, a stance criticized by the American Academy of Pediatrics as “dangerous and ineffective” compared to vaccination, per The Washington Post.
Maryland and Virginia health officials are urging vigilance as spring travel ramps up. “We’re monitoring closely and will provide updates,” the Maryland Department of Health stated, advising symptomatic individuals to isolate and contact healthcare providers without visiting public spaces.
Sources: Maryland Department of Health, Virginia Department of Health, CDC, Texas Department of State Health Services, Daily Mail, The Washington Post, Forbes, Fox News, CBS Baltimore, Newsweek.
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