ATLANTA, G.A. — The Georgia Department of Public Health has confirmed the sixth measles case of 2025, adding to a concerning national uptick in infections. With over 1,300 cases reported across 40 jurisdictions, public health officials warn that the disease — once considered eliminated in the U.S. — is making a fast and dangerous comeback.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), measles cases have risen approximately 180% in 2025, marking one of the sharpest increases in two decades. Georgia’s own vaccination rate among young children remains below the 95% threshold recommended for herd immunity.
Measles Is One of the Most Contagious Diseases Known
Measles is more infectious than COVID-19 or the flu. Public health experts use the R0 metric (pronounced “R-naught”) to describe how quickly a disease spreads — and measles tops the chart, with one infected person potentially spreading it to up to 18 others in unvaccinated populations.
“The virus can linger in the air for up to two hours and infect people just by being in the same space,” noted researchers from Johns Hopkins Medicine…