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Measles exposure in Georgia’s Macon County raises outbreak concerns: What we know so far
Georgia health officials warned of potential measles exposure at a LongHorn Steakhouse in Perry on Oct. 7, linked to a Pennsylvania outbreak.
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A case of measles exposure at a restaurant in Georgia's Macon County on October 7 has prompted the Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) to issue an alert about a potential public exposure.
The alert comes after the DPH said on October 13 that a case of measles was confirmed in Macon County and traced it to Pennsylvania, which is dealing with an outbreak with more than 1200 cases so far. The DPH is now fearing a potential public exposure, as those who visited the restaurant around the infected individual may also have been infected. So far, there have been 22 cases of measles in Georgia.
What Georgia Health Officials Are Saying
The Department of Public Health said in the alert that the infected individual visited the LongHorn Steakhouse in Macon County's Perry on the night of October 7. It warned that anyone who visited the restaurant between 7pm EDT and 10pm EDT may have been infected. The DPH urged individuals who visited the restaurant on the specified date and time to monitor for symptoms of measles till October 28 and check their vaccination status.
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In the alert, the DPH pointed out that symptoms of measles include: a high fever, cough, runny nose, watery eyes, red rash that begins on the head and spreads to the rest of the body. Symptoms could take between seven to 14 days to develop.
Why Pennsylvania Link Is Concerning
The Pennsylvania link of the case is particularly concerning, as the state is currently dealing with a confirmed outbreak with 1286 cases reported through October 19, including six deaths. The CDC announced on Tuesday that it will deploy additional resources to investigate the outbreak in Pennsylvania.
According to an October 12 CBS report, the number of measles cases recorded in the US in 2026 is higher than in any year in the last three decades.
It documents that by late October, more than 4,000 cases had been reported, based on data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The US would be at risk of losing its official measles elimination status if cases continue to be reported at such a rate, it noted. As of October 15, the US had reported 4,410 cases of measles with 247 hospitalizations.
The CDC describes measles as a "highly contagious, vaccine-preventable infectious disease caused by measles virus." The details of how to monitor symptoms, treatment and care can be found on the website of CDC.
