Two more individuals are believed to have contracted measles as the Allegany County Department of Health continues its investigation into a confirmed case within the county, the department announced Aug. 6.
The individual whose case was first identified Aug. 2 is recovering well, according to the department. ACDOH said public health staff have now traced and identified 45 direct contacts, up from 23 on Aug. 2, and provided them with guidance and monitoring instructions.
“Among these contacts, two individuals exposed during the infectious period are now presumed positive. This status indicates they have developed symptoms consistent with measles, though laboratory testing was not performed,” ACDOH stated. “ACDOH is collaborating closely with health care facilities and community partners to monitor these individuals and contain further spread.”
The Department of Health said risk to the general public remains low, particularly for individuals who are fully vaccinated against measles or were born prior to 1957 (and are presumed to have natural immunity).
The health department was notified of the initial positive result on Aug. 2 after the resident, who had recently traveled to Ohio, began showing symptoms a day earlier, county health officials said. According to the health department, the individual is isolating at home until they are no longer contagious.
Key measles symptoms to watch for
ACDOH guidance for residents
Measles cases in U.S. already surpass total in 2025
USA TODAY reported that as of July 23, approximately 2,318 measles cases from 35 separate outbreaks have reached 43 states and Washington, D.C. since the beginning of 2026, according to the CDC, resulting in at least 151 hospitalizations. The majority, 93%, occurred in unvaccinated people, and nearly 69% occurred in children ages 19 and younger. No deaths have been reported.
With five months remaining in the year, measles cases in the U.S. have surpassed last year’s total and represent the highest number of such cases recorded in the United States since the highly contagious disease was eliminated from the country nearly three decades ago, according to new Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data.
This article originally appeared on The Evening Tribune: 2 more ‘presumed positive’ measles cases in Allegany County, DOH says
Reporting by Staff reports, Hornell Evening Tribune / The Evening Tribune
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
By Staff reports, Hornell Evening Tribune | USA TODAY Network
