Outbreaks, Recalls, and Investigations
Following is a list of selected outbreaks, recalls, and investigations with wide impact in Wisconsin.
Measles cases in Wisconsin - Updated November 13, 2026
As of November 13, the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) has confirmed 651 cases of measles in Wisconsin, 14 hospitalizations, and two deaths in 2026.
View data about Wisconsin's measles cases
Public exposure location
DHS has been notified of a possible public measles exposure in Marathon County at Marshfield Medical Center – Weston emergency department.
The investigation has identified people who were at the following location during the listed date and time may have been exposed to measles:
- Date: Thursday, November 5, 2026
- Time: 1:30 p.m.–3:30 p.m.
- Location: Marshfield Medical Center–Weston emergency department, 3400 Ministry Pkwy, Weston, WI 54476
People at this location during the dates and times should:
- Check your vaccination status. Wisconsinites can check their vaccination status using the Wisconsin Immunization Registry or by contact their health provider or local health department to. If you are unsure whether you are protected against measles, contact your health care provider or local health department.
- Watch for symptoms for 21 days after your possible exposure. Early symptoms include fever, cough, runny nose, and red, watery eyes. A rash usually develops a few days later.
- Call ahead before seeking medical care if you develop symptoms. Tell your health care provider that you may have been exposed to measles. Calling ahead helps prevent measles from spreading to others.
Those who are most at risk are those who are not vaccinated or don’t know their vaccination status. If you believe you have been exposed to measles and are not immune, remain at home and monitor for symptoms.
Measles case counts
This table includes case reported from August 1, 2026 through November 13, 2026. Case investigations remain underway, and updates will continue to be shared as they become available.
| County | Confirmed cases | Probable cases | Total cases |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barron | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Buffalo | 0 | 1 | 1 |
| Chippewa | 45 | 0 | 45 |
| Clark | 4 | 0 | 4 |
| Columbia | 47 | 0 | 47 |
| Crawford | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Dunn | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Grant | 222 | 0 | 222 |
| Green Lake | 14 | 0 | 14 |
| Iowa | 97 | 0 | 97 |
| Jackson | 20 | 25 | 45 |
| Lafayette | 116 | 6 | 122 |
| Marathon* | 6 | 0 | 6 |
| Marquette | 10 | 0 | 10 |
| Monroe | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Richland* | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Rock* | 0 | 5 | 5 |
| Sauk | 10 | 1 | 11 |
| Shawano | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| Vernon | 14 | 0 | 14 |
*It has been more than 21 days since the last rash onset.
What is a confirmed case?
Confirmed measles cases are cases that have symptoms consistent with measles and have been laboratory confirmed or have a direct link to a confirmed case by location and time. Probable cases have symptoms consistent with measles but have not been laboratory confirmed or directly linked to a confirmed case.
Understanding measles case counts
The number of newly reported measles cases may vary over the course of an outbreak. A decrease in reported cases does not necessarily mean that measles spread has slowed or stopped at this time.
When an outbreak is first identified, public health agencies focus on active case finding in order to understand who is affected, how the outbreak is spreading, and who may be most at risk. During this phase, it is expected that there will be a rapid increase in confirmed and probable cases.
After this initial phase, cases are then primarily identified when people seek medical care and their providers report suspected or confirmed cases to public health agencies.
In any outbreak, the number of confirmed cases may not represent the true number of infections, because not everyone gets tested, needs medical care, or contacts public health agencies. Current case counts could reflect differences in how cases are being identified rather than a true decrease in measles activity.
Public health agencies continue to monitor reports of illness, conduct enhanced surveillance in outbreak areas, and work closely with health care and community health partners. Additionally, public health agencies continue working to help people protect themselves and prevent additional measles cases by providing access to vaccines and monitoring for any potential public exposures to measles.
What should Wisconsinites do?
Those who are most at risk are those who are not vaccinated or don’t know their vaccination status. If you believe you have been exposed to measles and are not immune, remain at home and monitor for symptoms.
DHS urges all people to check their vaccination status, as vaccination against measles is the best way to prevent measles illness.
What is measles?
Measles is a highly contagious, serious disease caused by a virus. The virus can be spread through the air and through direct contact with people who are infected. Measles can cause serious health complications, including pneumonia, brain damage, and deafness, and can sometimes be deadly. One in four people who get measles in the United States will be hospitalized.
Unvaccinated young children and other non-immune adults are at highest risk of serious disease from measles.
For a full description of measles, see:
- DHS measles fact sheet, P-42174 (available in English, Hmong, Somali, and Spanish)
- DHS measles webpage
- CDC measles webpage
What are the symptoms of measles?
Anyone who was exposed to measles would expect symptoms to start 10 to 21 days after exposure. Symptoms include:
- Runny nose
- High fever (may be greater than 104 F)
- Tiredness
- Cough
- Red, watery eyes, or conjunctivitis (pink eye)
- A red rash with raised bumps that starts at the hairline and moves to the arms and legs three to five days after symptoms begin
If you develop any symptoms of measles, stay home (do not go to work, school, shopping, or use public transportation) and call your doctor’s office or clinic before visiting so they can take precautions so that other patients are not exposed to the virus.
How to get vaccinated
The best way to prevent measles is to get vaccinated with the Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR) vaccine. Two doses of MMR vaccine are about 97% effective at preventing measles; one dose is about 93% effective. In general, people born before 1957 are considered immune and do not need a vaccine. All other adults without laboratory evidence of immunity should have at least one dose of measles-containing vaccine, and children should have two doses. Find more information about who should get a measles vaccine on the DHS measles webpage.
If you, or your family, need to get vaccinated contact your health care provider to schedule an appointment. People with health insurance may have vaccine benefits through a pharmacy as well—check your policy. Local health departments may be able to provide MMR vaccine to uninsured adults through the Vaccines for Adults (VFA) program. The Wisconsin Vaccines for Children Program (VFC) covers the cost of vaccines for eligible children. Check the VFA and VFC webpages for a provider near you.
How to check your vaccination status
Wisconsin residents can find their immunization records using the Wisconsin Immunization Registry (WIR). Instructions can be found in the DHS fact sheet Wisconsin Immunization Registry Information for Parents, P-42154 (available in English, Spanish, and Hmong). If you are unable to access your records, please contact your doctor’s office or your local health department.
Wastewater monitoring for measles in Wisconsin
Wastewater results are one tool used alongside other public health data to help monitor for the presence, and potential spread, of viruses like measles. The Wisconsin Wastewater Monitoring Program tests untreated wastewater in communities across the state for measles. This includes 44 permanent sites (testing since June 2025), and four temporary sites established in Iowa, Lafayette, and Grant counties in response to the current outbreak.
Wastewater detections for participating wastewater treatment facilities that serve a population of 3,000 or more will be shared publicly on the CDC’s National Wastewater Surveillance System Dashboard.
Summary of wastewater results
Measles virus has been detected in wastewater samples from the following counties during the current measles outbreak. Due to ongoing measles activity in Wisconsin, continued detections of measles in wastewater from these areas is expected.
- Iowa County: Detected in samples from 8/26/2026 and 8/31/2026
- Grant County: Detected in samples from 8/19/2026, 9/2/2026, and 9/7/2026
- Lafayette County: Detected in samples from 8/25/2026, 10/6/2026, and 10/27/2026
- Green County: Detected in samples from 9/16/2026, 10/14/2026, and 10/28/2026
- All other sites in Wisconsin: No recent detections
What do these results mean?
When measles is detected in wastewater from a community, it means that one or more people infected with measles was present in the community around the time the sample was collected. Wastewater treatment facilities can represent both the city and the surrounding areas, as well as people who may travel in and out of the area for activities such as work, school, or health care. Someone who does not live in a community could therefore be represented in wastewater while they are there.
Learn more
DHS’s Wastewater Monitoring Program and Wisconsin dashboards for norovirus, COVID-19, flu, and RSV are available on the Wisconsin Wastewater Monitoring Program webpage.
To view previous outbreaks and investigations, visit our Past Outbreaks in Wisconsin page.