Key Takeaway:
- Wisconsin confirmed a new measles case in Chippewa County, bringing the state total above 170.
- The case is linked to out-of-state travel, with no known public exposure sites identified.
- Health officials urge people with measles symptoms to avoid others and call a health care provider before visiting.
Wisconsin health officials on Tuesday, Sept. 22, confirmed a measles case in Chippewa County, saying it is linked to out-of-state travel and has no identified public exposure sites.
The case brings Wisconsin’s confirmed measles total to 171 for 2026, according to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services. It is the third new county to report a case in the past week, following cases in Marathon and Vernon counties.
Chippewa Case Linked To Out-Of-State Travel
The Chippewa County case was confirmed through testing at the Wisconsin State Laboratory of Hygiene. Local and state health officials are investigating the case and working to identify people who may have been exposed.
DHS said the case is related to out-of-state travel and is not connected to the measles outbreak in southwest Wisconsin. No public exposure locations have been identified, meaning officials are not currently aware of a place where unidentified members of the public may have been exposed.
Chippewa County Health Officer Brittnay Herrick said officials are coordinating with health care providers and other agencies as the investigation continues.
“Measles is highly contagious, so confirming a case in our community is concerning,” Herrick said in a county health department statement. She encouraged residents to know their vaccination status and monitor information from public health officials.
Read More: How Measles Strikes the Unvaccinated: A Step-by-Step Look at the Virus’s Devastating Impact
Southwest Outbreak Drives Most Cases
Most of Wisconsin’s cases are associated with an outbreak in Grant, Iowa, Lafayette and Vernon counties. DHS reported 161 confirmed cases and six probable cases in that outbreak as of Sept. 18.
The state’s total has risen as cases have also been identified outside the southwest outbreak area. DHS said the Marathon County case, like the Chippewa County case, is related to out-of-state travel and is not part of the southwest Wisconsin outbreak.
Nationally, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 3,471 confirmed measles cases in the United States as of Sept. 17. Wisconsin was among 47 jurisdictions reporting confirmed cases at that time.
Dr. Stephanie Schauer, director of Wisconsin’s Immunization Program, has said measles can spread more readily in communities with lower vaccination coverage. “When a highly contagious disease like measles reaches a community with lower vaccination coverage, it has more opportunities to spread,” Schauer said earlier this month.
Health Officials Outline Symptoms
Measles is highly contagious and spreads through the air when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or breathes. The virus can remain in the air for up to two hours after an infected person leaves an area, according to Wisconsin health officials.
Symptoms generally develop 10 to 21 days after exposure and can include a high fever, cough, runny nose, tiredness, and red, watery eyes. A red rash typically develops several days after the initial symptoms and can spread from the hairline to other parts of the body.
People who develop symptoms should stay home and call a doctor or clinic before arriving so health care workers can take precautions to prevent exposing others.
