ATLANTA, Ga. (WRDW/WAGT) – A fourth measles case in the ongoing outbreak has been discovered in the Peach State, according to the Georgia Department of Public Health.
The department said the person was unvaccinated.
They’re believed to have contracted the virus while traveling internationally.
The department said the person was infectious between May 10 and May 18, and they are working to identify anyone who came into contact with them during that time.
Measles is very contagious, but people who have received both doses of the MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccine are typically protected in 98% of cases.
Measles spreads through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes. Measles virus can stay in the air or on surfaces for up to two hours after an infected person has left the room.
According to the department, measles symptoms include high fever, cough, runny nose and watery eyes. A red rash then starts at the head and spreads to the rest of the body.
If you believe you have measles, you should call a doctor’s office, hospital or health clinic before arrival so they can prepare and notify public health officials.
MORE INFORMATION
Measles: A serious and dangerous disease
- Symptoms: High fever (may spike to more than 104), cough, runny nose, red and watery eyes, and rash.
- Complications: Ear infections, diarrhea, pneumonia and encephalitis.
- How it spreads: Through the air. You can get measles just by being in a room where a person with measles has been in the past two hours.
The first measles case this year in Georgia was reported in metro Atlanta in late January, then two more cases were reported in February.
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