Wake County Public Health
officials warns of a potential measles exposure.
On Tuesday, county health officials
said a person infected with measles visited several public places in Wake
County while contagious.
According to Wake County Public
Health, the person visited a fitness center and restaurant on Alexander
Promenade Drive and two Harris Teeters on Thursday, Feb. 5 in Raleigh.
Officials said anyone who may
have visited on O2 Fitness or Everbowl on Alexander Promenade Place between
1:30 and 5:45 p.m. on Thursday, Feb. 5 or Harris Teeter between 5 and 7:35 p.m.
on Strickland or Creedmoor roads may have been exposed.
According to the North Carolina Department of Public Health and Human Services dashboard, 18 cases have been reported in North Carolina since December 2025, with a child hospitalized in Nash County.
State data shows all but two of the people who got measles in North Carolina this winter were under the age of 17. 72% of them had not been vaccinated, and local health leaders said more cases are expected.
“When South Carolina got its first cases, we all said it was just a matter of time, a matter of not if but when we will get cases,” said Dr. David Wohl, a professor of medicine and co-principal investigator of the Global UNC Infectious Diseases Clinical Trials unit.
Nationwide, 11% of people who have gotten measles this past year have ended up in the hospital. For children, Wohl said, this could be devastating, adding that the rates of hospitalization are higher for children. They could end up with pneumonia or brain swelling.
People who are not vaccinated
or are unsure of their vaccination status should review their records, monitor for
symptoms and contact Wake
County Public Health, officials said.
Measles is a highly contagious,
vaccine-preventable disease that is spread by direct person-to-person contact.
The virus can live for up to
two hours in the air where the infected person was present. Symptoms of measles
usually begin 7-14 days after exposure, but can appear up to 21 days after
exposure and may include:
High fever (may spike to more than 104 degrees)
Red, watery eyes (conjunctivitis)
Tiny white spots on the inner cheeks, gums and roof of the mouth (Koplik Spots) two to three days after symptoms begin
A rash that is red, raised, blotchy; usually starts on face, spreads to trunk, arms and legs three to five days after symptoms begin
Measles can also cause complications, including diarrhea, pneumonia, encephalitis (swelling of the brain), and suppression of the immune system.
Anyone who develops symptoms
should call ahead before visiting a doctor’s office, urgent care or emergency
department to prevent possible spread to others.
The North Carolina Department
of Health and Human Services recommends that all unvaccinated people aged 1 year and
older receive the measles vaccination to protect themselves and those around them.
While MMR vaccination is not routinely recommended for children younger than
the age of 12 months, MMR vaccination can be safely given to children as young
as 6 months if they are at higher risk.
