Georgia Health Department confirms second case of measles in metro Atlanta

ATLANTA — Following January’s first reported case of measles in the metro Atlanta area in about four years, the Georgia Department of Public Health has confirmed a second case.

However, DPH said there have not been any additional cases from the first and second, and that the incubation period has ended.

On Jan. 18, DPH confirmed an unvaccinated metro Atlanta resident was exposed to measles while traveling outside of the United States. Almost two weeks later, one of their family members, also unvaccinated, was confirmed to have measles.

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DPH said there were no additional exposures associated with the case because the person with measles was at home in quarantine.

The last time measles was detected in the state of Georgia before these two cases was in 2020, according to DPH.

Symptoms of the disease include having a high fever, cough, runny nose, red, and watery eyes, tiny white spots may appear inside the mouth after two or three days and a red rash that covers the body follows, according to health officials.

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While two cases were confirmed in Georgia by the DPH, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said there have so far been 20 cases across the country in 2024.

“As of February 15, 2024, a total of 20 measles cases were reported by 11 jurisdictions: Arizona, California, Georgia, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, New York City, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Virginia,” the CDC said.

Currently, the CDC says there are outbreaks of measles in the following 10 countries: Yemen, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan, India, Ethiopia, the Russian Federation, Iraq, Pakistan, Kyrgyzstan and Indonesia.

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