New measles cases associated with metro Atlanta day care outbreak confirmed, health officials say
Georgia health officials have confirmed additional measles cases connected to an outbreak of the virus connected with a metro Atlanta day care.
On Friday, the Fulton County Department of Health announced that state officials have confirmed three additional cases associated with the outbreak, which brings the number of cases up to eight.
Details about the outbreak remain limited, but Fulton County officials say it "is associated with a daycare setting in the metro Atlanta area" and that the children involved were either unvaccinated or not fully vaccinated.
County officials reported the first measles case connected with the outbreak on Aug. 18, then confirmed four additional cases on Aug. 28.
Health officials are now working to notify individuals who may have been exposed to the virus with the additional cases.
The new update brings the number of confirmed cases of measles in Georgia to 14. This year's number of cases is the second-highest number in the last decade, behind the 18 cases reported in 2019.
Data from the Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shows that more than 2,700 cases of measles have been reported this year, making it the highest number in recent history and putting the country at risk of losing its official measles elimination status.
Possible signs of measles exposure and what you should do
Measles first infects the respiratory tract, then spreads throughout the body, causing a high fever, runny nose, cough, red, watery eyes, and a rash.
The rash generally appears three to five days after the first symptoms, beginning as flat red spots on the face and then spreading downward to the neck, trunk, arms, legs, and feet. When the rash appears, the fever may spike over 104 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the CDC.
The virus is highly contagious, spreads through the air, and can stay on surfaces for up to two hours after an infected person has been in a room.
If you become sick or believe you have been exposed to measles, contact your healthcare provider immediately but do not go to the doctor's office without first letting them know about your symptoms. You can also call the Georgia Department of Public Health's Acute Disease Epidemiology Section at 404-657-2588 during business hours, Monday through Friday, or 1-866-782-4584 after hours on evenings and weekends.
Officials say you should also stay at home and avoid contact with other people, especially anyone younger than 1 year old or those who have weakened immune systems.
