Three children positive for measles in North Carolina
RALEIGH, NC (WWAY) — The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services and Buncombe County Health and Human Services (BCHHS) Division of Public Health announced on Tuesday additional cases of measles.
Three siblings in Buncombe County tested positive after the family had visited Spartanburg County, South Carolina about one to two weeks before the children got sick. To protect the family’s privacy, no additional information about these cases will be released.
As of Tuesday, the South Carolina Department of Public Health is reporting 214 cases of measles since July 9th, 211 centered around Spartanburg County in the current outbreak.
NCDHHS recommends all unvaccinated individuals ages one year and older receive measles vaccination to protect themselves and those around them.
“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.”
Symptoms of measles usually begin 7-14 days after exposure but can appear up to 21 days after exposure and may include high fever, cough, runny nose, red eyes, tiny white spots in mouth, or a red raised rash.
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 to contact those who may have be exposed and deem if any action needs to be taken.
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.
Late in 2025, another case of measles in a child was identified in Polk County.
