Five people in Carroll County contracted measles after visiting a high-risk area out of state, Maryland Department of Health officials said Wednesday in a news release.

Officials said anyone who visited Carroll Hospital Center’s emergency department waiting room on Monday between 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. could have been exposed.

Measles is a highly contagious disease that spreads when an infected person breathes, coughs or sneezes. State health officials said anyone who may have been exposed should monitor themselves for symptoms, including a cough, a fever, a runny nose, a red rash and watery eyes.

Those who are fully vaccinated or have received two doses of the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine are considered protected, the health department said, but those who are unvaccinated should contact a provider to discuss next steps.

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Maryland has now had nine confirmed measles cases in 2026.

The first case was reported in a Baltimore-area resident in April. A week later, two more people tested positive. In June, a Marylander contracted measles following international travel.

The state only had five reported cases over the previous five years.