The Connecticut Department of Public Health has confirmed the state’s second case of measles in 2026, this time in a vaccinated Hartford County adult following testing conducted over the weekend.
DPH said the individual had already received two doses of the MMR vaccine, which combines vaccines for measles, mumps and rubella into a single injection.
DPH said the testing yielded a “weak positive result.”
DPH said this individual was exposed to the unvaccinated Connecticut resident with measles — who was the state’s first case of the virus this year— two weeks ago and had since been monitoring their symptoms.
Infections in vaccinated individuals are milder and less likely to spread, according to DPH. This individual’s symptoms include fever, cough and a rash.
The vaccinated individual is recovering at home, DPH said.
Dr. Manisha Juthani with the Connecticut Department of Public Health said the second patient likely had close contact with the first case. She added that the infection is testing at a low level, meaning the person is less likely to transmit the virus to others.
Health officials say the lower level of infection is tied to the patient being vaccinated, which can lessen both symptoms and the chance of spreading the disease.
Still, Juthani said the case represents one that spread within the community. The patient tested positive late last night, about two weeks after exposure, and the state is now conducting contact tracing.
The infected individual is experiencing symptoms including a fever, cough, and rash and self-isolated when symptoms began.
Juthani said Connecticut’s vaccination rate for measles is about 98%, and the risk for most vaccinated residents remains very low. However, she noted that certain groups may face higher risk, including people who are traveling and children under age 1 who have not yet received their first dose of the vaccine.
Doctors are encouraging residents to check their vaccination records. Juthani said people vaccinated between 1963 and 1967 may need a booster because vaccines from that period were not as effective as those used in later years.
There are now 2,134 reported cases of measles nationwide so far this year, which is 150 less that the total number of cases in all of 2025, according to DPH.