HARTFORD, Conn. (WFSB) – Connecticut’s first measles case of 2026 was reported by public health officials on Monday.
The state Department of Public Health said the case was confirmed in an unvaccinated adult from Hartford County.
The DPH said the Connecticut resident recently travelled internationally and began showing symptoms of measles after returning. Their symptoms included fever, sore throat, cough, runny nose, diarrhea, and rash. The adult was hospitalized in stable condition.
The international travel was not associated with the World Cup.
The DPH did not get more specific than that in terms of the patient.
It said so far this year, there have been 2,073 nationwide cases.
The country is on pace to exceed 2025’s total case number of 2,288, health officials warned.
The DPH said Connecticut is one of the last states in the country and New England to confirm a measles case in 2026. In the last five years, Connecticut has only had two positive cases of measles. Both patients were unvaccinated and just returned from international travel.
“Vaccination continues to be the best way to protect yourself and your family from measles,” said DPH Commissioner Manisha Juthani, MD. “One dose of measles vaccine is about 93 percent effective, while two doses are about 97 percent effective. Being vaccinated helps us all protect those who matter most.”
Health officials described measles is a highly contagious disease that can spread quickly through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nine out of 10 unvaccinated individuals who encounter an infected person will become infected with the measles virus. Measles can be dangerous, especially for children under the age of five. About one in five unvaccinated people in the U.S. who get measles end up being hospitalized.
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