A hotel stay, a pizzeria and a restaurant now form the trail of Maryland’s latest possible measles exposure.
An out-of-state visitor with measles spent several days in Ocean City while infectious, potentially exposing guests and diners at three locations between Sept. 3 and Sept. 6, the Maryland Department of Health announced Wednesday.
The warning arrives as Maryland’s confirmed case count continues to climb. The state has recorded 40 measles cases in 2026, up from 31 reported during a multijurisdictional outbreak earlier this month.
State health officials identified these possible exposure sites:
- Casablanca Oceanside Inn, 2408 Baltimore Ave.: 4 p.m. Sept. 3 through noon Sept. 6.
- Buona Vita Pizzeria, 2100 Baltimore Ave.: 5 to 8 p.m. Sept. 3.
- Bonfire Restaurant, 7009 Coastal Highway: 4:30 to 8 p.m. Sept. 5.
Anyone who visited those locations during the listed periods may have encountered the virus. The overall risk remains low for fully vaccinated residents, according to the health department.
Contact tracing is underway to identify and notify those who may have been exposed. The department said it would release no further information about the infected visitor, citing the patient’s privacy.
What exposed visitors should do
Measles spreads through the air when an infected person breathes, coughs or sneezes. The virus can remain airborne for as long as two hours after that person leaves. It can also spread through direct contact and contaminated surfaces.
Visitors to the Ocean City locations should monitor themselves for symptoms for 21 days after their potential exposure, especially if they have not been fully vaccinated or are not otherwise immune.
Early symptoms include:
- A fever above 101 degrees.
- A runny nose.
- A cough.
- Red, watery eyes.
A red rash typically appears on the face one to four days later and then spreads across the body. Symptoms most often develop 10 to 14 days after exposure, though they can emerge anywhere from seven to 21 days afterward.
Anyone who develops symptoms should stay away from work, school, child care and public places. Health officials advise calling a health care provider before entering a waiting room or emergency department, allowing staff to take precautions against further exposure.
An infected person can spread measles beginning four days before the rash appears and continuing through four days after it begins.
Who is considered protected
Residents who have received two doses of a measles-containing vaccine or were born before 1957 are generally considered protected.
Those uncertain about their vaccination status can contact a health care provider or request records through Maryland’s secure My Immunization Record website.
Anyone who may have been exposed and lacks full vaccination or other evidence of immunity should contact a provider or local health department as soon as possible to discuss next steps.
Maryland recommends the first routine dose of the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine at 12 to 15 months old, followed by a second dose at 4 to 6 years old. An early dose should be considered for infants 6 to 11 months old who live in or travel to an outbreak area.
Adults should have at least one documented dose. Some adults at higher risk should have two doses if they lack other evidence of immunity.
Standard health insurance plans typically cover the vaccine. Uninsured or underinsured children can receive it through the Vaccines for Children Program, while adults can ask their local health department about free vaccination through the Maryland Vaccine Program.
The Ocean City warning comes amid a sharp increase in Maryland infections. Earlier cases this summer were concentrated in St. Mary’s, Carroll, Cecil and Charles counties, and all 27 cases reported between July 15 and the state’s earlier outbreak declaration involved unvaccinated residents.
Maryland health officials have responded with vaccination clinics and public outreach. More than 106,000 measles, mumps and rubella vaccine doses had been administered statewide in 2026 when the outbreak was announced, including more than 24,000 since July 1.
Now the exposure map has reached the beach, carried there by one infectious visitor during the final stretch of summer.