Wisconsin DHS Health Alert #69: Additional Case of Measles Confirmed in Wisconsin

Bureau of Communicable Diseases

February 4, 2026 

Background

On February 2, 2026, DHS issued a news release about a confirmed measles case in a Dane County resident.

The public health investigation has identified several public locations where people may have been exposed to measles as a result of this case.

Individuals who were at the following locations at the listed dates and times may have been exposed and should watch for symptoms for the 21 days following their exposure:

• Qdoba, 2 N. Park St., Madison
  • Sunday, January 25 from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
• UW-Brogden Psychology Building, 1202 W. Johnson St., Madison
  • Monday, January 26 from noon to 6 p.m.
  • Tuesday, January 27 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.
  • Wednesday, January 28 from noon to 6 p.m.
• Waisman Center, 1500 Highland Ave., Madison
  • Monday, January 26 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m.
  • Wednesday, January 28 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• UW-Genetics Building-Biotechnology Center Building, 425 Henry Mall, Madison
  • Tuesday, January 27 from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
• UW-Union South, 1308 W. Dayton St., Madison
  • Monday, January 26 from 7 p.m. to 9:15 p.m.
  • Tuesday, January 27 from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.
• Madison Metro
  • Monday, January 26: J Route, H Route, G Route, O Route buses potentially impacted from 4:05 pm to 8:55 pm
  • Wednesday, January 28: C1 Route, J Route, O Route, H Route buses potentially impacted from 10:00 am to 3:10 pm
  • Find a detailed list of impacted routes at this Madison Metro webpage.
• Unity-Point Health Meriter Hospital Emergency Department, 202 S. Park St., Madison
  • Saturday, January 31 from 10:20 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

This investigation is ongoing and additional public exposure locations may continue to be identified. The Public Health Madison Dane County Measles web page and DHS Outbreaks and Investigations web page contain the most up to date list of exposure locations and investigation information.

It is important for health care providers and facilities in Wisconsin to be vigilant for patients with suspected measles, take appropriate infection control precautions, and report any suspected cases to their local health department.

For health care providers 

Be prepared to care for a patient with suspect measles to help reduce the risk of transmission to others:

• Review policy and procedures regarding intake of a suspect measles case. Educate staff on infection prevention and control best practices, including the use of standard and airborne precautions.
• Contact your local and Tribal health department (LTHD) to facilitate testing. The LTHD will work with the DHS Immunization Program for approval of fee-exempt testing and to arrange logistics for transportation of the specimens to the Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene (WSLH).
• Immediately report by telephone any suspected or confirmed case to the LTHD in which the patient resides.
• Ensure your facility is familiar with managing contacts of measles cases, including appropriate signage and triage processes.
• Encourage measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccination for eligible patients at every opportunity. At this time, DHS is not recommending routine vaccination for children under age 1. The MMR vaccine may be given as post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) within 72 hours to infants ages 6–11 months who have been exposed to measles.

Infection control at health care facilities

The following steps are recommended to prevent measles transmission in health care facilities:

• Immediately place a surgical mask on the patient.
• Do not allow suspect measles patients to remain in the waiting area or other common areas.
  • Immediately isolate the patient to an airborne infection isolation room (AIIR). In clinic settings where an AIIR may not be available, a single exam room with the door closed and away from susceptible contacts should be used for patient evaluation. The exam room should remain closed for two hours after measles suspect patient leaves.
  • If a potential measles patient is evaluated in a room that is not a negative pressure room, do not use that room for the next two hours.
• Adhere to standard and airborne precautions. All health care workers entering the patient room should be wearing a fit-tested N95 respirator.
• Limit transport of the patient to essential care needs. The patient should remain masked during transport. If a patient is being transported to another health care facility or moved within a facility, staff should be notified ahead of time about suspected measles infection.
• Standard health care cleaning and disinfection procedures are adequate for measles virus environmental control. Clinic exam rooms (non-AIIRs) should remain closed for two hours post-appointment prior to cleaning.
• Consult facility infection prevention staff and work with facility maintenance staff to assess HVAC system to determine shared air space and ventilation capabilities.
• Make note of the staff and other patients who were in the area during the time the suspect measles patient was in the facility for public health follow-up.

For more details on managing measles cases, reporting, testing, and infection prevention and control see the Measles Reporting and Infection and Prevention Control Measures sent on March 27, 2025.

Contact the Wisconsin Healthcare-Associated Infections Prevention program or your regional infection preventionist with questions related to infection prevention and control.

Evidence of immunity for health care workers

Only those health care providers who have documented immunity to measles should care for a suspected measles case. Documentation of immunity for all staff should be collected in advance.

• Review immunity to measles for all health care workers.
• This includes ancillary staff such as office staff, dietary staff, housekeeping, maintenance, and anyone that shares airspace in your facility with a patient.
• Health care workers should have documented evidence of immunity to measles.
• Health care workers should receive two doses of MMR, at least 28 days apart, regardless of year of birth, unless they have documentation of previous immunity.

Clinical presentation of measles

Measles typically presents in adults and children as an acute viral illness characterized by a prodrome with high fever (>101 °F), cough, coryza, and conjunctivitis followed several days later by a generalized maculopapular rash. The rash usually starts on the face (starting at the hairline), proceeds down the body and may include the palms and soles, appears discrete but may become confluent, and lasts several days. The rash fades in the same order that it appears. Koplik spots are occasionally seen.

Signs and symptoms typically appear 7 to 21 days after exposure. Symptoms may be mild, absent, or atypical in persons who had some degree of immunity to measles virus before infection (for example, in previously vaccinated persons who had waning immunity or children aged > 1 year who passively acquired maternal antibodies). Those who received vaccination between 1963–1967 and immunocompromised individuals may present with an atypical rash (atypical rash typically begins on the extremities). Complications may include diarrhea, otitis media, pneumonia, hepatitis, encephalitis and death.

Transmission

Measles is highly contagious. Approximately 90% of people lacking immunity who are exposed to measles virus will develop the disease. The virus is transmitted by airborne particles or direct contact with respiratory secretions of an infected person. It can live for up to two hours in an airspace where an infected person has coughed or sneezed.
Individuals with measles are infectious from four days before rash onset though four days after rash onset (nine days total).

Recommendations for the public 

The best way to prevent measles is to get vaccinated with the Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR) vaccine. Two doses of MMR vaccine are about 97% effective at preventing measles; one dose is about 93% effective. Prior to 1971, when MMR became widely available, millions of children in the United States were infected each year and 400–500 deaths occurred annually from measles. DHS recommends all children receive two doses of the MMR vaccine before age 4. Anyone born in or after 1957 who may have been exposed to measles should confirm their vaccination history and notify their health care provider or local health department if they are not certain that they have immunity. Those who were born before 1957 are considered immune to measles.

Wisconsin residents can check their vaccination status in the Wisconsin Immunization Registry (WIR) or contact their health care provider or local health department. Most local health departments can provide MMR vaccine to uninsured children and adults based on vaccine availability and capacity.

Thank you for your collaboration.

Sincerely,

Ryan Westergaard, MD, PhD, MPH
Chief Medical Officer and State Epidemiologist
Bureau of Communicable Diseases
Division of Public Health
Wisconsin Department of Health Services