Georgia confirmed its 22nd measles case of 2026 on Tuesday, Oct. 13, more than double the 10 cases reported in all of 2025.
The Fulton County Board of Health, which serves Alpharetta and Milton, posted the alert from the Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) urging residents to verify their measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccination status.
The latest case involves an unvaccinated Macon County resident who is isolating at home. Unvaccinated close contacts are quarantining. The individual had no known travel history but had contact with a confirmed measles case from Pennsylvania, where an ongoing outbreak has surpassed 1,100 cases, according to DPH.
DPH is tracing contacts.
"One dose provides about 93% protection against measles, and two doses increase protection to about 97%," said Cherie Drenzek, state epidemiologist for DPH.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends two doses of the MMR vaccine for children: the first at 12 to 15 months and the second at 4 to 6 years. Vaccination also protects people who are too young or medically unable to receive the shot themselves.
Measles spreads through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes. The virus can linger for up to two hours after an infected person leaves a room. Up to nine out of 10 unprotected people exposed to measles may become infected, according to the DPH measles page.
The disease can cause pneumonia, brain swelling, hospitalization and death. Babies, young children, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems face a greater risk of serious complications, DPH said.
Symptoms typically appear seven to 14 days after exposure but can take up to 21 days. They include high fever, cough, runny nose and watery eyes, followed by a red rash that starts on the head and spreads across the body.
DPH stressed that anyone with symptoms should call a health care provider before visiting a clinic or hospital. Do not walk into a medical office without calling first.
The latest case follows five siblings in Jasper County who were diagnosed with measles, as WSBTV reported. Those children were unvaccinated or under-vaccinated, and at least one had a history of out-of-state travel. That cluster brought Georgia's total to 21 before the Macon County case pushed it to 22.
The MMR vaccine is available through health care providers, pharmacies and local public health departments. Residents should call ahead to confirm availability.
