Maryland's measles count just hit 13 for 2026, and a fresh possible-exposure alert is now tied to an Elkton hospital emergency department. The warning covers people who were there Sunday night, putting a new watch window on the calendar for anyone who may have crossed paths with the infection.
The Maryland Department of Health confirmed a case in a Maryland resident after a possible exposure in the Upper Eastern Shore region, according to WBAL NewsRadio. People who visited ChristianaCare Union Hospital's emergency department in Elkton Sunday from 7 p.m. to 10:15 p.m. may have been exposed, the report said.
That makes the case Maryland's 13th confirmed measles infection of the year. The Maryland Department of Health listed 12 cases as of July 23, compared with three for all of 2025, meaning the 2026 total has already more than quadrupled last year's count.
What Elkton Patients Should Watch For
Measles symptoms can begin with a fever above 101 degrees, a runny nose, cough and red, watery eyes, according to WBAL NewsRadio. A rash usually appears one to four days later, beginning on the face and spreading across the body; symptoms most often arrive 10 to 14 days after exposure but can take up to 21 days.
Anyone who was in the emergency department during the warning window should monitor for symptoms for 21 days. The Maryland Department of Health says people with two doses of a measles-containing vaccine, or those born before 1957, are generally considered protected; anyone who develops symptoms should stay out of school, work, child care and public places and call a provider before showing up.
That call-ahead instruction matters because measles spreads through the air and the virus can remain airborne for up to two hours after an infected person leaves. Nationally, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 2,260 confirmed U.S. cases as of July 16, with 93% associated with outbreaks.
The Elkton warning is the latest in a string of Maryland alerts this year. In April, an earlier Maryland alert involved possible exposures at BWI, a Pikesville urgent-care clinic and Sinai Hospital after an internationally linked case.
