The Baltimore City Health Department is investigating a possible measles case in a 12-month-old Baltimore City resident. There has not been a documented case of measles in Baltimore City in the last decade; Baltimore has high vaccination rates, with nearly 99 percent of public school children being vaccinated.
“We are working very closely with local hospitals, the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, as well as the Centers for Disease Control, to determine the specifics of the case as well as to investigate potential contacts,” said Leana Wen, M.D., Baltimore City Health Commissioner.
“This is a quickly-evolving situation. BCHD staff, including the Office of Acute Communicable Diseases, epidemiologists, immunization staff and doctors, are working around the clock to gather further information about this case so that we can best protect the public and serve Baltimore.”
The patient has no travel history, including internationally or to California, or to other affected states with known measles outbreaks, has no known exposures to people who were ill, and the symptoms started after the child received the vaccine. Additionally, there are no other known reported measles cases in Baltimore.
“Based on the information we have, and out of an abundance of caution, we are treating this as a suspected measles case but it’s possible the patient could have had a reaction to the vaccine,” Dr. Wen said.
Just days ago, Alaska health officials reported on a “false positive” measles case in a 1-year-old who tested positive for the virus by PCR; however, recently received the vaccine.
The Baltimore child tested positive for measles at Johns Hopkins Hospital.