Maryland health officials have declared a measles outbreak in three counties after confirming 14 new cases among unvaccinated residents, as President Donald Trump continues defending changes to childhood vaccination recommendations by suggesting the switch could help prevent autism, a claim that contradicts decades of scientific research. The Maryland Department of Health announced Monday that outbreaks have been declared in St. Mary's, Carroll and Cecil Counties, bringing the state's total number of confirmed measles cases this year to 31.
All 27 cases identified since July 15 have involved unvaccinated residents. Newsweek reached out to the National Foundation for Infectious Disease (NFID) via email Monday for comment. The U.S. is facing its largest measles resurgence in more than 30 years as the Trump administration moves forward with plans to split the long-standing measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine into separate injections.
The changes have raised concerns among public health experts, who warn that additional appointments and more complex vaccine schedules could leave some children unprotected for longer as outbreaks continue to spread. Trump's renewed claims linking childhood vaccination schedules to autism have also drawn criticism from medical experts. Numerous studies conducted over several decades have found no evidence that the MMR vaccine causes autism.
Public health authorities, including the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other major medical organizations, continue to recommend routine childhood vaccination against measles. Health officials warn that measles is among the most contagious infectious diseases.
According to Maryland health authorities, an unprotected person has a 90 percent chance of becoming infected after exposure. The Maryland Department of Health said the outbreak declaration follows the identification of 14 new confirmed measles cases in unvaccinated residents. No public exposure sites have been identified, and officials say there is no evidence of widespread community transmission because most infections occurred among household contacts.
Among the state's 27 confirmed cases since July 15, 13 were reported in St. Mary's County, eight in Carroll County, five in Cecil County and one in Charles County. Four additional cases earlier this year involved residents of Anne Arundel, Baltimore and Prince George's Counties.
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