Fourth measles case confirmed in Georgia, Department of Public Health says
ATLANTA () — The Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) has confirmed a measles case in an unvaccinated Greater Atlanta resident.
Officials say the unvaccinated person acquired the virus while traveling internationally. The Department of Public Health is currently working to identify people that may have come in contact with the individual when they were infectious, which was between May 10 and May 18.
Measles is very contagious and spreads through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes. The measles virus can stay in the air or on surfaces for up to two hours after an infected person has left the room.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that children receive their first dose of MMR vaccine between 12 and 15 months of age and a second dose between 4 and 6 years of age. 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%.
The CDC also notes the MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccine can prevent measles and rubella. The vaccine is safe and effective.
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 immediately.
This is the fourth reported measles case in Georgia in 2025. In 2024, there were six reported cases of measles in Georgia.
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.
Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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