Measles Case Tracked To Popular GA Restaurant: Here's What Officials Say

PERRY, GA — State health officials on Monday say they have tracked a measles case to a popular restaurant in Georgia and are warning of possible exposure.

The Georgia Department of Public Health said the Macon County resident who had contracted measles visited Longhorn Steakhouse at 100 Hampton Court in Perry while infectious.

DPH did not say if the person knew they had contracted the virus prior to visiting the Houston County restaurant.

However, public health officials said anyone at the eatery from 7-10 p.m. on Oct. 7 may have been exposed.

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"DPH urges anyone who was at the restaurant during this time to check their vaccination status and watch for measles symptoms. People without immunity through vaccination or previous measles infection should monitor for symptoms through Oct. 28," the state health department said.

Officials say the person who was infected was isolating at home, and anyone was an unvaccinated close contact was quarantining.

The person who was infected had prior contact with a confirmed measles case from Pennsylvania, where health officials say a measles outbreak surpassed 1,100 cases. The person had no known travel history, however, according to DPH.

As of Oct. 13, there have been 22 cases of measles so far this year - up from 10 in 2025.

The measles virus can spread through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes and can linger in the air for up to two hours after the infected person has left the room, the DPH has said.

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Early symptoms of measles are a fever of more than 101 degrees, runny nose, cough and red, watery eyes. Usually, one to four days after the early symptoms, a red rash appears on the face and spreads to the rest of the body.

Symptoms appear 7-14 days after a person has developed the measles, but can develop as soon as seven days and as long as 21 days after exposure, health officials said. A person with measles is contagious, beginning four days before the rash appears, until four days after the rash begins, health officials said in the past.

People are generally considered immune to measles if they have had two measles vaccine shots, previously had measles or laboratory evidence of immunity or infection or were born in the United States before 1957, the DPH said in the past.

Those who are most at risk of complications from measles infection are pregnant women, infants less than 1 year old, and those who are immune compromised.

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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises that children receive their first dose of the measles, mumps, rubella vaccine between 12 and 15 months old and a second dose between 4 and 6 years old.

Children who are aged 6-11 months and are traveling internationally can receive a single dose of the MMR vaccine before they travel, and then receive two more doses after their first birthday, per CDC recommendations and the DPH.

"The vaccine is safe and effective, and parents with questions about the vaccine or the vaccination schedule can consult their physician," public health officials said in a past news release.

The DPH said at least 95 percent of the people who receive a single dose of MMR will have immunity to all three viruses. A second dose helps to enhance immunity to 98 percent, the DPH said.

Anyone who has symptoms of the measles should call their health care provider, the DPH said. The department advised against people arriving at medical facilities without calling ahead.

People, especially those not vaccinated or otherwise immune to measles, should monitor themselves for any early symptoms of measles for 21 days after the potential exposure, public health officials said in the past.