The Georgia Department of Public Health has confirmed Friday that three additional measles cases are associated with a measles case that was confirmed August 18. There are now a total of eight cases associated with the current outbreak.

The outbreak is associated with a daycare setting in the metro Atlanta area. The children infected were either unvaccinated or not fully vaccinated. The state is working to notify individuals who may have been exposed to the virus and are at an increased risk of developing measles.

Including the recent additional cases, there have been 14 measles cases in Georgia in 2026. There were 10 confirmed measles cases in Georgia in 2025.

Measles symptoms typically appear 7 to 14 days after exposure to the virus, but may range from 4 to 21 days. Symptoms usually start with high fever, cough, runny nose, and watery eyes. Then a rash of tiny red spots breaks out, usually 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 Georgia Department of Health. The vaccine is safe and effective, and parents with questions about the vaccine or the vaccination schedule should consult their physician.

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.

The U.S. eliminated the domestic spread of measles in 2000 by maintaining high vaccination rates, but they have fallen in recent years to below the 95% coverage needed to prevent outbreaks.

Measles infections across the United States have reached a 35-year high, with 3,134 cases reported nationwide as of Friday. Public health experts say growing vaccine hesitancy — including signals from federal officials — is a driving force behind the surge.

The nation had 2,289 cases in 2025, the worst year for measles in more than three decades. Now, 2026 has easily become the U.S.’s worst year for measles since 1991, as major outbreaks in South Carolina, Utah and Arizona have sickened hundreds and smaller clusters of cases sparked in other states.

Anyone who becomes sick or thinks they may have been exposed to measles should follow this guidance:

• Contact your healthcare provider immediately and let them know that you may have been exposed to measles. If you do not have a doctor, call the DPH Acute Disease Epidemiology Section at (404) 657-2588 during business hours, Monday through Friday, (866) 782-4584 after hours on evenings and weekends.
• DO NOT go to the doctor’s office, the hospital, or a public health clinic without FIRST calling to let them know about your possible contact with measles. Your healthcare provider or public health nurse will advise you on what to do.
• Stay at home and avoid contact with other people, especially babies less than 1 year of age or people with weakened immune systems.

Georgia DPH urges healthcare providers to maintain heightened awareness of measles. If you suspect measles in a patient, notify public health immediately by calling (866) 782-4584.