Cortland County reports measles case; health officials track contacts, say public risk low
Fri, August 28, 2026 at 10:48 PM
Cortland County reports measles case; health officials track contacts, say public risk low
CORTLAND, N.Y. —A person in Cortland County has been diagnosed with measles and is recovering at home, prompting local health officials to work to identify anyone who may have been exposed
The Cortland County Health Department is tracking down people who may have had close contact with the infected person during the infection period. Health officials said the risk to the general public is considered low at this point, but warned that measles spreads easily through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes and can remain in the air for up to two hours
Health officials have not released details about the infected person, including whether the person is a child or an adult, or whether the person was partially vaccinated or not vaccinated at all
The case comes as Pennsylvania is experiencing a measles outbreak, with 460 confirmed cases and two deaths, described as the first deaths from measles in the country this year. The area of the outbreak has a sizable Amish and Mennonite population. In Pennsylvania, there have been no documented infections in anyone who was fully vaccinated, meaning they received two MMR shots
New York state has had 31 measles cases this year
There is no cure for measles, only treatment to relieve symptoms. Health officials said anyone who starts having symptoms should call a health care provider and not go to an emergency room, urgent care or a doctor’s office without calling first to avoid potentially exposing other people to measles
