Second Georgia measles case this year strikes coastal area
A second person this year in coastal Georgia has been diagnosed with measles, the Georgia Department of Public Health announced this week.
The new case is in Bryan County, near the Fort Stewart military base. No county was specified in the January case, which involved a baby who had recently traveled outside the country. Other than both people living in coastal Georgia, there is no known connection between the two.
Both were unvaccinated, and the new case also involved a person who had recently traveled.
Measles is wildly infectious. But the vaccine, called Measles Mumps Rubella, or MMR, fully protects more than 95% of people who get it, according to DPH.
A major outbreak is raging in South Carolina, with the 2025-26 total now at 973 cases, according to the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy. Georgia health officials are still researching whether the February patient traveled near an outbreak, but their destination was not South Carolina, DPH spokesperson Nancy Nydam Shirek said.
Measles vaccinations are available from county public health departments as well as pharmacies, doctor’s offices and clinics. Insurance often covers the cost.
It’s crucial for people who think they might be infected to call before showing up for a vaccination so the office can make arrangements to ensure others are not infected.
There are powerful reasons to consider vaccination. Getting measles can wipe out a person’s immune system for a wide range of diseases for several years. This “immune amnesia” can cause severe illness and death from other diseases. Measles also can kill on its own, especially babies and young children.
The measles vaccine is not for newborns, but vaccination of pregnant women can be a huge help to their babies in utero as well as after birth, according to the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine. If a mom contracts measles during pregnancy, it can lead to an increased risk of miscarriage or stillbirth. If the baby survives, risks include low birth weight, preterm delivery and respiratory distress in the newborn.
Babies should usually only get their first dose of the measles vaccine after reaching 12 months of age, or at 6 months old before international travel, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Where to get the MMR vaccine:
- County public health departments or Georgia Department of Public Health districts
- Pharmacies
- Doctor’s offices
- Clinics
About the Author
Ariel Hart is a reporter on health care issues. She works on the AJC’s health team and has reported on subjects including the Voting Rights Act and transportation.
