HARTFORD — The Connecticut Department of Public Health (DPH) announced that it has confirmed a case of measles in an unvaccinated Hartford County adult on Monday, June 15. Testing was conducted over the weekend at the State Public Health Laboratory (SPHL). This is the first case of measles reported in Connecticut in 2026. Nationwide, 2,073 cases of measles have been reported in 2026 so far — on track to exceed the 2,288 cases reported in 2025. Connecticut is one of the last states in the country and New England to confirm a measles case in 2026. In the last five years, Connecticut has only had two positive cases of measles and they were both unvaccinated and just returned from international travel.

The Connecticut resident recently traveled internationally and began showing symptoms of measles after returning. The international travel was not associated with the World Cup. Their symptoms included fever, sore throat, cough, runny nose, diarrhea, and rash. The adult is hospitalized in stable condition.

Measles is a highly contagious disease that can spread quickly through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes. According to the CDC, nine out of ten unvaccinated individuals who encounter an infected person will become infected with the measles virus. Measles can be dangerous, especially for children under the age of five. About one in five unvaccinated people in the US who get measles end up being hospitalized.

Symptoms of measles generally begin 7-14 days after exposure to an infected person. A typical case of measles begins with mild to moderate fever, cough, runny nose, red eyes (conjunctivitis), and sore throat. Three to five days after the start of these symptoms, a red or reddish-brown rash appears, usually starting on a person’s face at the hairline and spreading downward to the entire body. At the time the rash appears, a person’s fever may spike to more than 104 degrees Fahrenheit.

DPH Commissioner Manisha Juthani, MD, said, “Vaccination continues to be the best way to protect yourself and your family from measles.” Juthani continued, “One dose of measles vaccine is about 93% effective, while two doses are about 97% effective. Being vaccinated helps us all protect those who matter most.”

DPH, American Academy of Pediatrics, and several other reputable public health and medical societies recommend all people get two doses of MMR vaccine, starting with the first dose at 12-15 months of age, and the second dose at four through six years of age. According to the 2024-2025 Statewide School Immunization Survey, 98.2% of Connecticut students were vaccinated with two doses of MMR by kindergarten entry, compared to 92.5% nationally. Connecticut’s MMR vaccination rate is the highest in the nation.