CHIPPEWA FALLS, Wis. — Chippewa County health officials have confirmed a measles case, adding a new county to Wisconsin’s expanding 2026 outbreak, which has reached 165 cases statewide. The Chippewa County Department of Public Health said Tuesday that testing at the Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene confirmed the infection. Officials are working to identify and notify people who may have been exposed. The department has not released information identifying the patient or explaining how the person became infected. If investigators identify public locations where exposure may have occurred, the health department said it will alert the community. “Measles is highly contagious, so confirming a case in our community is concerning,” Chippewa County Health Officer Brittnay Herrick said. The outbreak began in southwestern Wisconsin, including Iowa, Grant and Lafayette counties, but has since spread beyond that region. Measles travels through the air when an infected person coughs, sneezes or breathes. The virus can remain airborne for as long as two hours after an infected person leaves an area. Symptoms commonly appear 10 to 12 days after exposure. They can include a runny nose, red or watery eyes, high fever, fatigue, cough and a red rash that typically starts near the hairline before spreading down the body to the arms and legs. Two doses of the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine are about 97% effective at preventing measles. Wisconsin residents can review their immunization records through the Wisconsin Immunization Registry at dhfswir.org. People who develop symptoms or believe they may have been exposed should contact a health care provider before arriving at a clinic, so medical staff can limit the risk of exposing others.