North Dakota reports first measles case of 2026

The North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services reported one confirmed case of measles in Williams County, the first case identified in North Dakota in 2026. The individual was unvaccinated and acquired measles out of state. Health officials have identified and notified people who may have been exposed and said there are no community exposure locations requiring public notification.

“This case serves as a reminder to North Dakotans that measles continues to circulate worldwide and in the United States,” Molly Howell, director of the HHS Disease Control and Forensic Pathology Section, was quoted in a news release.

The release also says that measles is a “highly contagious illness” that spreads through the air and can remain in the air and on surfaces for up to two hours. “Individuals with measles are contagious for several days before and after symptoms appear,” according to HHS, and the disease “can be serious, particularly for young children and people with compromised immune systems.”

Howell said the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine is 97% effective after two doses and that vaccinated people exposed to measles are unlikely to develop the disease. In 2025, North Dakota recorded 36 confirmed measles cases, the first reported in the state since 2011.