Measles case reported in Maryland: Here’s where and when the disease was reported

WASHINGTON — The Maryland Department of Health is warning the public they've confirmed a measles case in a Maryland resident.

Officials said Friday night there may have been possible exposures in the Baltimore area; specifically, anyone who visited 4000 Old Court Road in Pikesville, Md. on Tuesday, April 2 between 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. may have been exposed to measles.

Earlier this year, there was a suspected case of measles in, St. Mary's County. No word on what became of that particular case.

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Measles outbreaks have become an increasing concern in the U.S. as a small percentage of parents refuse to vaccinate their children based on scientifically unfounded fears that vaccines may be linked to autism and other ill effects.

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According to CDC data, approximately 92.4 percent of Maryland children ages 19-35 months have received at least the first dose of the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine. By the time they've reached kindergarten, approximately 98.6 percent of Maryland children have received both MMR doses – giving Maryland the second-highest MMR vaccine compliance rate in the country, right behind Mississippi.

Recent outbreaks of the measles in Washington state, New York and New Jersey have been tied to unvaccinated residents in those areas. In Washington in particular, health officials have linked more than 60 measles cases mostly to children whose parents have chosen not to vaccinate them for non-medical, non-religious reasons.

In Maryland, non-medical vaccine exemptions are rare, with only .9 percent of the state's kindergartners claiming such a waiver. Another .6 percent are exempted for medical reasons. While that's low relative to the rest of the country, that number of vaccine-exempt children has nearly doubled over the past decade, rising from .8 percent in 2010 to 1.5 percent in 2018. Unlike Washington state, Maryland does not allow parents to claim philosophical exemptions for vaccinating their children.