Wisconsin confirms first 9 measles cases of 2025, all linked to out-of-state travel

CDC warns of accelerating measles outbreak

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is issuing a health alert as measles cases surge.

OCONTO COUNTY, Wis. (FOX 9) - Wisconsin health officials confirmed the first nine cases of measles in 2025 in the state on Saturday. 

First measles cases of 2025 in Wisconsin

What we know:

According to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS), nine cases of measles were confirmed in Oconto County, marking the first nine cases of 2025. 

The first case was confirmed through testing at the Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene. Eight more were ultimately confirmed based on exposure and symptoms. 

Health officials say that all the cases were exposed by a common source outside of Wisconsin. Officials are working to notify people who may have been exposed to the virus from the nine cases, but no public exposures have been identified. 

The exposure risk to the public is low, DHS said. 

Measles symptoms: What to watch for

Dig deeper:

Health officials say measles typically starts with a fever, cough, runny nose, and watery eyes, followed by a rash that spreads from your head to the rest of your body. It generally takes between eight and 12 days from exposure to experience the first symptoms. The rash usually shows up two or three days after the fever begins.

If you notice any symptoms, you should call your health provider before going to a clinic, to prevent potentially exposing others to the illness.

As always, health officials urge parents to make sure their children get their MMR vaccine. The first shot is usually administered between 12 and 15 months and the second at ages four to six. However, if you are planning to travel to another country or a part of the United States with an outbreak, you should talk to your doctor. Children aged 6 months to 12 months can get an early dose of the vaccine if their travels put them at a high risk, the state explains.

Last year, the state also changed its guidance, allowing for the booster to be administered as early as soon as a month after the first dose.

The MMR vaccine is safe and any risks of complications from the vaccine are greatly outweighed by the risks of contracting measles itself.