PUBLIC HEALTH ADVISORY: Tioga County Public Health Investigates Confirmed Case of Measles

Last Updated: 8/13/2026

Tioga County Public Health is investigating one confirmed case of measles in an unvaccinated resident of Tioga County, New York. To protect resident/patient privacy, additional details will not be released. Potential public exposure site(s) have been identified, and Tioga County Public Health has reached out to those who may have come into contact with the positive case.

Potential Exposures & Contact Tracing

Because measles is a highly contagious airborne virus, public health officials conduct thorough contact tracing of the confirmed case. 

Tioga County Public Health, in partnership with local health care providers, has successfully identified and is directly contacting all individuals known to have been exposed. Notifications are being made to other community and health care partners to place them on high alert.

What You Should Do:

1. Check Your Immunity / Vaccination Status

You are generally protected from measles if you meet one of the following criteria:

• You have documented records of receiving two doses of the Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMR) vaccine.
• You were born before 1957.
• A healthcare provider has previously confirmed through a blood test that you are immune.

Two doses of MMR vaccine offers about 97% protection against contracting measles if exposed.

2. Monitor for Symptoms for 21 Days

If you were exposed or think you may have been exposed, monitor yourself and your family members for symptoms.

Early symptoms typically appear 7 to 14 days after exposure and include:

• High fever (often rising above 101 degrees Fahrenheit)
• Cough
• Runny nose
• Red, watery eyes (pink eye)

Additional symptoms:

• A red, blotchy rash typically appears 3 to 5 days after initial symptoms begin, usually starting on the face along the hairline and spreading downward to the rest of the body.

3. Unvaccinated Individuals

Unvaccinated individuals, young infants, pregnant women, and immunocompromised individuals are at the highest risk for severe complications. If you have symptoms or someone has notified you of an exposure, limit your activity outside of your home and with others.

4. Call Ahead Before Seeking Medical Care

DO NOT walk into a clinic, urgent care, or emergency room without calling first.

If you develop symptoms or suspect you were exposed, call your primary care provider or the Emergency Department before arriving. Inform them that you may have been exposed to measles. This allows healthcare facilities to take precautions—such as placing you in an isolated room immediately—to prevent spreading the virus to other vulnerable patients in the waiting room or other areas.

About Measles

Measles is a viral illness spread through coughing and sneezing. The virus can remain alive and infectious in the air and on surfaces for up to two hours after an infected person has left the room. An individual who has measles is contagious 4-days prior to a rash beginning and 4-days after the rash appears. Symptoms of measles typically begin between 7 and 14 days after exposure to the virus. Approximately 9 out of 10 unvaccinated individuals who are exposed to the virus will contract it.

Risk to the Public

The overall risk of measles to the general public remains low, particularly for individuals who are fully vaccinated against the disease. However, measles is extremely contagious, and anyone unvaccinated, pregnant, under 12 months of age, or immunocompromised is at a higher risk and should talk with their health care provider.

For questions regarding this public notice or measles vaccination, contact Tioga County Public Health at 607-687-8600 or visit ph.tiogacountyny.gov.

For more information regarding measles, please visit https://www.health.ny.gov/diseases/communicable/measles/ or https://www.cdc.gov/measles/.  

###