North Carolina reports additional measles cases, warns of possible exposure at Asheville ER

North Carolina health officials announced additional measles cases in Buncombe County and renewed urgent calls for vaccination, warning that potential exposures may have occurred at a hospital emergency department in Asheville during a specific overnight time window.

The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (NCDHHS), working with Buncombe County Health and Human Services and Mission Hospital, said three siblings tested positive. The department linked the infections to travel-connected exposure associated with a larger outbreak in Spartanburg County, South Carolina, and noted that the family had been in that area roughly one to two weeks before symptoms began.

Officials said that anyone who was in the Mission Hospital Emergency Department waiting room at 509 Biltmore Ave., Asheville, between 2:00 a.m. and 6:30 a.m. on January 4, 2026, may have been exposed. Public health teams are working to identify and contact people who could have been present, determine whether they have immunity, and advise on steps that can reduce onward transmission.

Measles is highly contagious and can linger in the air after an infected person leaves an area, which is why hospitals and emergency departments can become exposure sites if cases arrive before diagnosis. Because early symptoms can resemble other respiratory illnesses, health officials routinely stress that vaccination is the most reliable way to prevent outbreaks from spreading through schools, clinics and households.

NCDHHS reiterated guidance that unvaccinated individuals aged one year and older should receive measles vaccination. The agency also emphasized coordination with neighboring states as outbreaks cross borders through travel, family visits and crowded indoor settings, particularly during winter when people spend more time inside.

For residents, the immediate priorities are to verify immunization status, watch for symptoms after any possible exposure, and contact healthcare providers ahead of time if illness develops—so clinics can take precautions to protect other patients. Health officials continue to update the public as case counts and exposure investigations evolve.