Measles Case Confirmed in Metro Atlanta, First in Georgia for 2025

     The Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) has confirmed a case of measles in an unvaccinated metro Atlanta resident. This marks the first reported measles case in Georgia for 2025. Health officials are currently working to identify anyone who may have come in contact with the infected individual between January 19 and 24, when they were contagious.

     The infected person, who has not been vaccinated, contracted the virus while traveling within the United States. The DPH is actively trying to locate anyone who might have been exposed to this individual during the infectious period. Measles is highly contagious and spreads when an infected person coughs or sneezes. The virus can remain in the air and on surfaces for up to two hours after an infected person has left an area.

     Symptoms of measles typically appear 7 to 14 days after exposure and include high fever, cough, runny nose, and watery eyes. A red, spotty rash then develops, starting at the head and spreading to the rest of the body. The most effective protection against measles is the MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccine. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends children receive their first dose of the MMR vaccine between 12-15 months of age and a second dose between 4-6 years old. A single dose of the vaccine provides immunity for over 95% of recipients, with a second dose boosting immunity to 98%.

     Individuals experiencing measles symptoms should immediately contact their healthcare provider but are advised not to visit clinics, hospitals, or public health offices without calling ahead to prevent exposing others. Healthcare providers are urged to notify public health officials if they suspect a case of measles. This case is the first confirmed in Georgia this year, following six reported cases in 2024. In 2024, there were 284 cases reported nationwide across 32 jurisdictions.

     Health experts emphasize that when more than 95% of people in a community are vaccinated, most people are protected through community immunity. However, vaccination coverage among U.S. kindergartners has decreased from 95.2% during the 2019–2020 school year to 92.7% in the 2023–2024 school year, leaving approximately 280,000 kindergartners at risk. At local levels, vaccine coverage rates may vary considerably, and pockets of unvaccinated people can exist in states with high vaccination coverage. 

     When measles gets into communities of unvaccinated people in the United States, outbreaks can occur. This recent case in metro Atlanta serves as a reminder of the importance of maintaining high vaccination rates to prevent the spread of measles and other preventable diseases.