St. Mary's County, Maryland, health officials say someone suspected of having the measles does not have the contagious illness.
On Tuesday morning, the The St. Mary’s County Health Department in Leonardtown, Maryland, announced it was investigating a potential case.
At 5:30 p.m., final test results were negative, the health department said.
For more information about the measles virus, individual can look at the websites for the Center for Disease Control and St. Mary's Health Department.
Most people in the U.S. have been vaccinated for measles as young children and are immune to developing the disease. However, those who aren’t vaccinated are at risk of getting this respiratory disease.
Measles is a highly contagious respiratory disease in the lungs and breathing tubes that causes a rash and high fever, the department said in a news release. The disease spreads through coughing and sneezing can live up to two hours in the air. Additionally, an infected person can spread the measles virus before they even know they have it.
Recently, in the Northwest U.S., there have been 31 reported cases of measles and Portland has become an anti-vaccination "hot spot." In October 2018, about 4,000 Prince George's County Public School students were still not immunizied, and in May 2018, a case of the measles virus was reported in Montgomery County.
