01/07/2026
Additional Children Positive for
Measles in North Carolina
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Jan. 6, 2026 Contact: news@dhhs.nc.gov
(919) 855-4840
RALEIGH — The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services and Buncombe County Health and Human Services (BCHHS) Division of Public Health today announced additional cases of measles in three siblings in Buncombe County. The family had visited Spartanburg County, South Carolina, where there is a large going measles outbreak approximately 1-2 weeks before the children became sick. To protect the family’s privacy, no additional information about these cases will be released.
NCDHHS has been in communication with the South Carolina Department of Public Health since the beginning of their measles response. NCDHHS recommends all unvaccinated individuals ages one year and older receive measles vaccination to protect themselves and those around them.
People who visited the Mission Hospital Emergency Department waiting room, located at 509 Biltmore Ave., Asheville, NC 28801, between 2-6:30 a.m. on Jan. 4, 2026, might have been exposed. NCDHHS is working closely with the BCHHS Division of Public Health and Mission Hospital to identify and contact exposed individuals to determine if they have immunity to measles and to discuss actions that might be needed to lower the risk of further spread.
Laboratory testing is not recommended for people who were exposed unless they develop symptoms of measles, including fever and rash. Symptoms of measles can start seven to 21 days after being exposed. If symptoms develop, please contact your local health department right away, limit exposure to other people, and call ahead before visiting the doctor or emergency room so steps can be taken to prevent exposure to others.
North Carolina residents can contact their health care provider or their local health department for additional information on ways to obtain the vaccine and schedule an appointment. Children eligible for the Vaccines for Children program may receive the vaccine from a provider enrolled in that program. The NCDHHS measles immunity checker tool is also available for those who are unsure whether they might need additional protection.
“People need to be aware that the risk of being exposed to measles is growing,” said Dr. Zack Moore, NCDHHS State Epidemiologist. “Measles can be a very serious disease, so staying up to date on all recommended vaccines by checking with your health care provider is an important step we can all take to protect the health and well-being of our loved ones and our communities.”
Measles is a highly contagious, vaccine-preventable disease that is spread by direct person-to-person contact and through the air. The virus can live for up to two hours in the air where the infected person was present. Symptoms of measles usually begin 7-14 days after exposure, but can appear up to 21 days after exposure and may include:
1. High fever (may spike to more than 104 degrees)
2. Cough
3. Runny nose
4. Red, watery eyes (conjunctivitis)
5. Tiny white spots on the inner cheeks, gums and roof of the mouth (Koplik Spots) two to three days after symptoms begin
6. A rash that is red, raised, blotchy; usually starts on face, spreads to trunk, arms and legs three to five days after symptoms begin
7. Measles can also cause complications including diarrhea, pneumonia, encephalitis (swelling of the brain), and suppression of the immune system.
As of Dec. 30, 2025, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has reported 2,065 people from 44 states as confirmed measles cases this year. This is the highest number of measles cases reported in the U.S. since the second dose of MMR vaccine became widely used in the early 1990s. One other case of measles was identified in a North Carolina resident in 2025.
For more information about measles, please visit dph.ncdhhs.gov/measles.
