The Georgia Department of Public Health has confirmed a measles case in a metro Atlanta resident who was not fully vaccinated. The individual was exposed to measles while traveling out of the country. The department is working to identify anyone who may have had contact with the individual while they were infectious.
Measles is very contagious and spreads through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes. Measles virus can stay in the air or on surfaces for up to two hours after an infected person has left the room.
Measles symptoms appear seven to 14 days after contact with the virus, typically including high fever, cough, runny nose and watery eyes. Then, a rash of tiny, red spots breaks out. It starts at the head and spreads to the rest of the body.
The MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccine can prevent measles and rubella. The vaccine is safe and effective. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends children receive their first dose of MMR vaccine between 12-15 months of age and a second dose between 4-6 years old. More than 95% of the people who receive a single dose of MMR will develop immunity to all three viruses. A second dose boosts immunity, typically enhancing protection to 98%.
People with symptoms of measles should contact their healthcare provider immediately. Do not go to the doctor’s office, the hospital or a public health clinic without first calling to let them know about your symptoms. Healthcare providers who suspect measles in a patient should notify public health officials immediately.
This is the fifth reported measles case in Georgia in 2024.
For more information about measles, log on to https://dph.georgia.gov/epidemiology/acute-disease-epidemiology/vaccine-preventable-diseases/measles or https://www.cdc.gov/measles/index.html.
Submitted by the Georgia Department of Public Health.