North Dakota Health and Human Services is confirming the state’s first case of measles in 2026.
The individual was an unvaccinated adult over the age of 20 living in Williams County. It was contracted out of state.
North Dakota had 36 confirmed cases of measles in 2025. They were the first cases confirmed in the state since 2011. HHS has notified individuals who may have been exposed.
HHS Director of Disease Control and Forensic Pathology Molly Howell says the case serves as a reminder to North Dakotans that the measles virus continues to circulate worldwide, and in the United States. She says the measles, mumps and rubella or MMR vaccine is 97 percent effective after two doses.
Because a majority of North Dakotans are vaccinated, risk to the general public is low at this time.
The MMR vaccine is recommended at 12-15 months of age, with a second dose between the ages of 4 and 6. The vaccine is widely available through most clinics.
Measles is a highly contagious viral illness that can be serious, especially for young children and people with compromised immune systems. Symptoms can include fever, cough, runny nose, eye irritation and widespread rash.
