Five more cases of measles confirmed in Oconto County

OCONTO COUNTY, Wis. – The Wisconsin Department of Health Services on Friday, Aug. 22 announced five additional cases of measles have been identified in Oconto County. 

What we know:

The additional cases are linked to the nine cases confirmed in the county on Aug. 2, 2025. This brings the total number of cases to 14. 

Personal health details about the cases will not be shared to protect the privacy of those affected. 

The Wisconsin DHS said in a news release that the ongoing investigation indicates that measles is spreading locally.

About measles

Why you should care:

According to the DHS, measles is a highly contagious disease that can be spread from person to person through the air and can stay in the air for two hours after a sick person coughs or sneezes. It is so contagious that if one person gets it, up to 90% of the people around them may also become infected if they are not vaccinated.

Symptoms of measles typically appear approximately 10 to 21 days after exposure, and include:

• Runny nose
• High fever (may be greater than 104 degrees)
• Tiredness
• Cough
• Red, watery eyes, or conjunctivitis – commonly known as “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

The DHS said 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 U.S. will be hospitalized.

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Stay home

What you can do:

The DHS said anyone who develops symptoms of measles should stay home – not go to work, school, shopping or use public transportation – and call their doctor’s office or clinic before visiting so they can take precautions to ensure other patients are not exposed to the virus.

Measles can be prevented with the measles, mumps, rubella vaccine. According to the DHS, two doses of the measles vaccine are 97% effective at preventing the disease.