(The Center Square) – Wisconsin’s measles outbreak continues to grow, and now there is a case outside of the southwestern part of the state.
Public health managers confirmed a measles case in central Wisconsin, in Marathon County.
"The Wisconsin Department of Health Services and Marathon County Health Department have confirmed a case of measles in a resident of Marathon County through testing at the Wisconsin State Lab of Hygiene. The case in Marathon County was exposed during out-of-state travel and is not related to the current outbreak in Southwest Wisconsin," DHS said in a statement.
The Department is not saying who is sick or where they traveled to.
"The investigation is ongoing and public health officials are working to identify and notify people who may have been exposed to the measles virus. At this time, no public exposure locations have been identified in connection with this case," DHS added.
The Marathon County case is the first measles case outside of southwestern Wisconsin.
DHS on Tuesday said there have been 155 confirmed and six probable cases in the outbreak in Grant, Iowa and Lafayette Counties.
There have been a total of 164 cases in Wisconsin so far in 2026. Last year, there were just 24. In 2024, there was one.
But the state continues to say there is no link or common denominator between the cases.
"At this time, the investigation has not identified locations in public settings for which a full list of exposed people cannot be obtained," the Department added. "DHS, in coordination with Grant County Health Department, Iowa County Health Department, and Lafayette County Health Department, are working to identify and notify people who may have been exposed to the measles virus."
The CDC last week said there are now 3,294 confirmed measles cases in 47 states and Washington, D.C.
"There have been 38 new outbreaks reported in 2026, and 95% of confirmed cases (3,123 of 3,294) are outbreak-associated," the CDC reported.
Last year, the CDC said there were a total of 2,289 confirmed measles cases across the country.