For Immediate Release: February 12, 2026
Media Contact: Kyle Casteel – Media Lead
Communication Office │ Department of Health
802-863-7280 │ [email protected]
Vermont Department of Health Confirms Case of Measles
The case is the first identified in the state in 2026
WATERBURY, VT — The Vermont Department of Health has confirmed a case of measles in an adult in Washington County who became sick after recent international travel. Investigation and response are ongoing, and the case does not pose a current risk to the public.
The case of measles is the first confirmed in Vermont in 2026, following two cases in 2025 and two cases in 2024. Confirmation of the case follows the detection of measles virus in wastewater in Washington County through the department’s wastewater monitoring program last week. While officials cannot definitively link the case to the detection, Health Commissioner Rick Hildebrant, MD, said this shows how monitoring can help improve our public health efforts.
“The early warning allowed us to put local health care providers on alert, which can help identify cases more quickly,” Hildebrant said. “This rapid public health response is critical to preventing the spread of measles, especially as we see more cases in Vermont and around the country.”
There is no treatment for measles, but the disease is almost entirely vaccine-preventable. About 1 in 5 people in the U.S. who get measles without being vaccinated are hospitalized. Health officials urge all people in Vermont to make sure they and their families are vaccinated against measles – especially children, for whom the disease is especially dangerous.
“Measles is an incredibly contagious illness,” Hildebrant said. “Because most people choose to get vaccinated, the risk to most Vermonters is low. But we encourage anyone who is not vaccinated to talk to their health care provider about making sure they are protected, especially if they are planning to travel outside the U.S.”
If you're not sure of your measles vaccination status, you can reach out to your health care provider and request your vaccination records. To learn more about measles, visit HealthVermont.gov/Measles.
To protect patient confidentiality, the Health Department will not release additional individual personal health information related to this case. The department will continue to provide information that may impact broader public health.
# # #
About the Department of Health
We have been the state's public health agency for more than 130 years, working every day to protect and promote the health of Vermonters.
Visit HealthVermont.gov ─ Join us @HealthVermont on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and WhatsApp.
Translated Information – Print, video and audio resources are translated into many of the languages used in Vermont. Visit HealthVermont.gov/Translations for searchable tables of documents in each of the nine languages – including about preventing illness, healthy homes, and staying safe and healthy during extreme events like storms, power outages, hurricanes, and flooding.