A person in Montgomery County has been diagnosed with the highly contagious virus measles, according to Montgomery County Health and Human Services.
County health officials are advising residents to take precautions and watch for symptoms. Many people are vaccinated against measles and the virus has been largely eliminated in the U.S. Those who have not been vaccinated are still at risk, however, and measles can spread through the air when an infected person sneezes or coughs.
The person in the county contracted measles outside of the country, then developed symptoms here and was diagnosed in the county on Wednesday. The person remains in medical care in the county Thursday, according to county health officials.
Health officials listed public places where the person had been: The person arrived at Washington Dulles International Airport’s international arrivals and baggage claim on May 15 and stayed there from 3:30 to 7:30 p.m. Th person then visited Nordstrom Rack at 15760 Shady Grove Road in Gaithersburg from 3 to 6 p.m. May 17, and attended Hearing Room 2K in the Montgomery County Circuit Court in Rockville from 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. May 18.
Symptoms of measles include a fever, runny nose, watery eyes and a cough in the first stage. After about three to seven days, a rash appears on the face and spreads over the body.
People experiencing these symptoms should limit their exposure to others and contact their doctor, officials said. They can also call the Montgomery County Department of Health and Human Services’ Disease Control Office at 240-777-1755.
No further information on the patient was available.
The Maryland Department of Health and Virginia Department of Health are also investigating the measles case and urging caution from residents.