Measles is not often seen in the United States, but Americans are growing more concerned about the preventable virus as cases continue to rise in rural West Texas.

Amid the outbreak of measles in West Texas, there’s a question of how contagious the disease is — and whether it will spread.

Health officials in Maryland have confirmed the state's first measles case for the year amid expanding outbreaks in Texas and New Mexico. The Maryland Department of Health said in a statement Sunday that a Howard County resident with recent international travel history has tested positive for the highly contagious disease.