2 school-aged NC siblings have measles, health officials confirm
Two school-aged siblings in Cabarrus County who don’t attend school there tested positive for measles, health officials said Friday.
Visitors to the Atrium Health Harrisburg emergency department, 9592 Rocky River Road, Charlotte, between 9:20 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 14, and 3:20 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 15, may have been exposed to the highly contagious disease, according to a Cabarrus Health Alliance news release.
Nine cases have now been identified in the state, officials said. North Carolina has a new measles cases and outbreaks dashboard that will be updated every Tuesday and Friday with case and exposure information.
Out of an abundance of caution, public health officials said they’re trying to identify and notify anyone who may have been exposed to the virus.
The state recommends the measles vaccination to everyone a year and older who’s unvaccinated, to protect themselves and those around them. Consult a health care provider before traveling to an outbreak area in the U.S., officials said.
Laboratory testing is not recommended for people who were exposed unless they develop symptoms, which include high fever and rash.
If you think you have been exposed in the latest cases, call Cabarrus Health Alliance at 704-920-1399 for guidance.
Thousands of NC children unvaccinated
About 106,000 North Carolina children in elementary school — or one in six — attend schools where the risk for measles outbreaks runs high, according to the best available state analysis, The Charlotte Observer reported.
Their schools are designated high risk because fewer than 90% of kids there are vaccinated, the Observer found. Nearly 18,000 kids at the schools are not vaccinated, which means they’re almost certain to catch the measles if they’re exposed, according to public health officials.
The disease that can turn deadly or cause lifelong health issues spread from Spartanburg County, South Carolina. And young children in North Carolina are less protected by vaccines than they have been in years, the Observer found.
Annual data on kindergarten vaccination rates show an increasing rate of N.C. parents aren’t fully vaccinating their kids at the start of the school year.
Staff writer Caitlin McGlade contributed.
This story was originally published January 16, 2026 at 5:10 PM.