Maryland shopping center exposed to measles last week, officials say

Racquel Bazos, Baltimore Sun on May 2, 2026

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BALTIMORE — Shoppers and employees at a Hyattsville shopping center were potentially exposed to measles on April 24, health officials say, when a Washington resident confirmed to have measles visited.

In addition to several locations in the nation’s capital, including parts of Dulles International Airport and several buses, the measles patient also stopped at the New Hampshire Business Center, located at 6495 New Hampshire Avenue in Hyattsville. Anyone else who was there between the hours of noon and 6:30 p.m. that day may have been exposed, according to a Friday news release from the Maryland Department of Health.

Measles is a highly contagious disease that can remain in the air for up to two hours after someone with an infection breathes, coughs or sneezes. It can also be spread by droplets and by touching infected surfaces, according to MDH.

Anyone potentially exposed should monitor themselves for symptoms for 21 days. Those who develop symptoms should not go to school, work, childcare or in public. Before seeking medical attention, they should call ahead of time so the facility can take measures to prevent the spread of disease, health officials wrote.

Those who have not been fully vaccinated or are not considered otherwise immune who might have been exposed should call their healthcare provider or local health department as soon as possible.

The case marks the latest potential exposure for Marylanders to measles, though MDH says there’s no known connection between the D.C. case and others reported in the state this year. A Baltimore-area resident contracted measles last month after international travel. Two more cases were confirmed last week, with exposure warnings centering Anne Arundel County locations.

2026 is now tied with last year for measles infections identified in Maryland, three each year, up from one each in 2024 and 2023. There were no cases reported between 2020 and 2022.

Early symptoms include fever about 101 degrees Fahrenheit, cough, runny nose and red, watery eyes. A red rash can appear on the patient’s face before spreading to the rest of the body one to four days after the early symptoms begin. Symptoms typically develop 10 to 14 days after exposure, though someone with measles is contagious four days before the rash appears through four days after the rash starts.

The Maryland Department of Health recommends that everyone eligible get vaccinated against measles. The vaccine is covered by insurance. Uninsured and underinsured adults might be able to receive a free vaccine as part of the Maryland Vaccine Program, according to the department.