5th GA Measles Case Detected In Unvaccinated Resident

ATLANTA, GA — Five measles cases have now been reported in Georgia this year, closing in on the total of six cases recorded in 2024.

The Georgia Department of Public Health on Friday said an unvaccinated resident is the second measles case in metro Atlanta and the fifth overall in the state in 2025.

The person contracted the highly contagious virus from a family member who was diagnosed with the measles in May, the DPH said. The family member developed measles while traveling outside the U.S.

No new measles cases were reported outside the metro Atlanta family, the state health department said.

The measles virus can spread through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes and can linger in the air for up to two hours after the infected person has left the room, the DPH said.

Early symptoms of measles are a fever of more than 101 degrees, runny nose, cough, and red, watery eyes. Usually, one to four days after the early symptoms, a red rash appears on the face and spreads to the rest of the body.

Symptoms appear 7 to 14 days after a person has developed the measles, but can develop as soon as seven days and as long as 21 days after exposure, health officials said. A person with measles is contagious, beginning four days before the rash appears, until four days after the rash begins.

People are generally considered immune to measles if they have had two measles vaccine shots, previously had measles or laboratory evidence of immunity or infection, or were born in the United States before 1957. Those who are most at risk of complications from measles infection are pregnant women, infants less than one year old, and those who are immune compromised.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises that children receive their first dose of the measles, mumps, rubella vaccine between 12 and 15 months old and a second dose between 4 and 6 years old.

The DPH said at least 95 percent of the people who receive a single dose of MMR will have immunity to all three viruses. A second dose helps to enhance immunity to 98 percent, the DPH said.

Anyone who has symptoms of the measles should call their health care provider, the DPH said.

People, especially those not vaccinated or otherwise immune to measles, should monitor themselves for any early symptoms of measles for 21 days after the potential exposure, health officials said.

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