ATL Standard

The Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) 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. DPH is working to identify anyone who may have had contact with the individual while they were infectious.

Measles is highly contagious and spreads through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes. The virus can remain in the air or on surfaces for up to two hours after an infected person has left the area.

Symptoms of measles appear 7 to 14 days after exposure and typically include high fever, cough, runny nose, and watery eyes. A rash of tiny red spots then breaks out, starting at the head and spreading to the rest of the body.

The MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccine can prevent measles and rubella. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), children should 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 people who receive a single dose 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 but should not go directly to medical facilities without calling first. Healthcare providers who suspect measles in a patient are advised to notify public health authorities immediately.

This is the fifth reported measles case in Georgia in 2024.

For more information about measles, visit https://dph.georgia.gov/epidemiology/acute-disease-epidemiology/vaccine-preventable-diseases/measles or https://www.cdc.gov/measles/index.html.