Georgia has recorded 22 measles cases so far in 2026 after a Macon County resident tested positive, the Georgia Department of Public Health announced Tuesday, Oct. 13. The resident is unvaccinated and has no known travel history, but had contact with a confirmed measles case from Pennsylvania, where an outbreak has surpassed 1,100 cases, according to the department. The person is isolating at home, and unvaccinated close contacts are quarantining. Public health officials are working to identify other people who may have been exposed. The state reported 10 measles cases in all of 2025, the department said. Measles spreads through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes. The virus can remain in the air for up to two hours after that person leaves, according to state health officials. Symptoms usually begin seven to 14 days after exposure, but may take as long as 21 days to appear. They include a high fever, cough, runny nose and watery eyes, followed by a red rash that typically starts on the head and spreads across the body. Anyone who develops symptoms should call a health care provider promptly and report the possible measles exposure. The department advises people not to go to a doctor’s office, hospital or public health clinic without calling first, to help prevent further exposure. Health care providers who suspect measles should notify the department immediately.