New Jersey health officials on Wednesday reported the state’s first confirmed measles case of 2026 and warned residents who may have been exposed to monitor for symptoms and make sure they are up to date on vaccinations.
The New Jersey Department of Health said the case involves a Hudson County resident who developed measles after recent international travel.
Health officials said possible exposures may have occurred at Newark Liberty International Airport’s Terminal B on April 14 between 5:30 a.m. and 9 a.m., and at the Pediatric Emergency Department at Hackensack University Medical Center on April 17 from 11:15 p.m. through April 18 at 3:15 a.m.
The department said anyone who suspects exposure or illness should call a local health department or health care provider before going to a doctor’s office or emergency room, so arrangements can be made to avoid exposing others.
Measles symptoms include a high fever, cough, runny nose, watery red eyes and a rash that typically appears three to five days after symptoms begin.
The health department said potentially exposed people who become infected could develop symptoms as late as May 11. As of Wednesday, no additional associated cases had been identified in New Jersey.
Officials said New Jersey is not currently experiencing a measles outbreak, which the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention defines as three or more related cases.
A total of 12 measles cases were reported in NJ in 2025, officials said.
According to the CDC, a total of 1,748 confirmed measles cases were reported in the United States this year, as of April 16.