New Atlanta Measles Cases Prompt Vaccine Check

The Georgia Department of Public Health said on May 19 that it had confirmed measles in three members of a metro Atlanta family who had traveled internationally and were not vaccinated. The agency said the family was not infectious during travel, but investigators are identifying people who may have been exposed after the family returned home and developed symptoms. The cases prompted state officials to renew calls for families to check measles, mumps and rubella vaccination status and to contact a healthcare provider before showing up in person with symptoms. (dph.georgia.gov) Including the three new infections, Georgia has recorded five measles cases in 2026, compared with 10 confirmed cases in 2025. ### Who are the new cases tied to? The three new cases involve members of one metro Atlanta family, the Georgia Department of Public Health said. State officials said the family had recently traveled internationally and had not received measles vaccination. The agency said the family members were not infectious while traveling. The exposure concern, according to the state, centers on contact after they returned home and developed symptoms. (dph.georgia.gov) ### What are health officials doing now? Georgia public health investigators are working to identify people who may have been exposed through contact with the infected family members, the department said. The state did not publicly list exposure sites in the release it issued on May 19. (dph.georgia.gov) Healthcare providers who suspect measles in a patient should notify public health immediately, the department said. The agency also told people with symptoms not to go to a doctor's office, hospital or public health clinic without calling first. (dph.georgia.gov) ### What symptoms are officials telling people to watch for? Measles symptoms typically appear seven to 14 days after exposure, according to the Georgia Department of Public Health. The agency said early symptoms include high fever, cough, runny nose and watery eyes, followed by a rash of small red spots that begins at the head and spreads across the body. (dph.georgia.gov) The measles virus can remain in the air or on surfaces for up to two hours after an infected person leaves a room, the department said. That is why officials are emphasizing advance calls to clinics and hospitals before a symptomatic person arrives. (dph.georgia.gov) ### What are officials saying about MMR shots? The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends a first MMR dose for children between 12 and 15 months of age and a second dose between ages 4 and 6, the Georgia department said in its advisory. (dph.georgia.gov) For infants ages 6 to 11 months who are traveling internationally, the CDC recommends one dose before travel, followed by two additional doses after the child's first birthday. More than 95% of people who receive one dose of MMR develop immunity to measles, mumps and rubella, the state said, and a second dose raises protection to about 98%. (dph.georgia.gov) Georgia health officials said the vaccine is safe and effective and said parents with questions should consult their physician. ### How unusual is this for Georgia this year? Georgia said the three new cases brought the state's 2026 measles total to five. The department said Georgia had 10 confirmed measles cases in 2025. (dph.georgia.gov) Atlanta-area outlets, citing the same state release, reported the cases on May 19 and May 20 as health officials continued outreach around symptoms, exposure and vaccination checks. (dph.georgia.gov) ### What should families and schools be watching next? The next concrete step is exposure follow-up by the Georgia Department of Public Health and immediate reporting by clinicians who suspect additional cases, according to the state. Families looking for vaccination guidance can find measles information through the Georgia Department of Public Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the agency said in its May 19 release. (dph.georgia.gov) (wsbtv.com)