Johnston County Confirms First Measles Case Since 2018
SMITHFIELD – The Johnston County Public Health Department and UNC Health Johnston in Smithfield have confirmed a case of measles in an adult who lives in Johnston County. This is the County’s first confirmed measles case since 2018.
The Health Department is working with UNC Health Johnston and the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services to identify and contact people who might have been exposed. Officials will determine whether those individuals are immune to measles and discuss steps to reduce the risk of further spread. Health officials do not recommend laboratory testing for people who were exposed unless they develop symptoms, such as fever and rash.
“As soon as the patient arrived, our emergency department team quickly masked and moved the patient to a negative-pressure room to limit exposure,” said Tom Williams, CEO of UNC Health Johnston. “They followed all procedures and protocols.”
“We are prepared,” he added. “Our physicians work closely with infectious disease experts and others across the UNC Health system. We’ve applied lessons learned from the pandemic and work hard to ensure we’re ready to care for patients while protecting our teammates and the community.”
Measles is highly contagious but can be prevented through vaccination with the MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccine. The vaccine has proven effective for decades. Anyone unsure of their immunity status can use the “Check Your Immunity” tool on the NCDHHS website.
“As we saw during previous outbreaks and natural disasters, the residents of our County support and care for one another,” said Dr. Marilyn Pearson, Johnston County Public Health Director. “This is another opportunity to come together to keep ourselves, our families, friends and neighbors safe and healthy. The health of our community is our highest priority, and we can all work together to stop the spread of measles. Please make sure you and your family members are immune. If you are not, contact your health care provider or the Johnston County Public Health Department to get vaccinated.”
Johnston County Public Health is located at 517 N. Brightleaf Blvd. in Smithfield. For more information about measles call our hotline at 919-989-5550, visit the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services website.
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The blame for this can be placed squarely on the shoulder of the anti-vaxxers and the Trump regime and its asinine public health decisions. Ridiculous for a disease that is preventable.
Unfortunately, you have no idea who this person is. Perhaps there is a medical reason for them not to get vaccinated. Perhaps they came here from a country illegally that doesn’t require vaccinations. That is but one more danger of unchecked, illegal immigration that most people don’t think about. Not to mention, the fact, Fauci and the mainstream media lied about the Covid vaccination prevent preventing catching and spreading Covid. Maybe if they were a little bit more honest people would trust them more.
You do realize it was rfk jr. A DEMOCRAT who opposed untested vaccines and some vaccines for children don’t you?
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is not currently a Democrat. Although born into a prominent Democratic family he left the party in October 2023 to run as an independent in the 2024 election. He subsequently endorsed Republican Donald Trump in August 2024 and was later confirmed as the US Secretary of health and Human Services in 2025.
Rfk jr. was a lifelong democrat and opposed untested vaccinations long before 2023. He only dropped his affiliation when the demonrats wouldn’t back his run for president.
You’re a clown!
Of course you think it’s Trump’s fault just like everything else is. If Trump cured cancer you’d condemn him for putting doctors out of work. Perhaps someday you’ll become mature enough to think for yourself. Perhaps not.
I had measles as a child, that was before vaccines. I think vaccines should be inescapable.
So you speak for everyone? Typical liberal.. You take all the jabs you want, protect you… and please don’t give a ** about those that dont want it… you have a choice, we want our choice as well… liberal …….
You mean forced? The covid vaccine? What happened to my body my choice?
Yeah , let’s blame Trump , and NOT the MILLIONS of UNVAXED allowed to FLOOD this country …. Yeah yeah , all trumps fault , completely, let’s go ahead and blame the sky falling in the year 2099 , that’s gotta be his fault too . Lmao , let’s go TRUMP 2028 !
@baby: I’m pretty sure that 99.7% of all measles cases in the USA for the past 50 years have been with US citizens. You can see the data for yourself at
But hey, keep raising that false flag, if that’s what you sheep want to do. #commonSense
The United States definitely hasn’t experienced the most measles cases in the last 50 years, last 25 years, last 10 years or last year although there was an increase in cases during 2025. Not sure where you’re getting your information from.
After sending my above comment I realized I had misread the post above mine and saw it doesn’t apply to worldwide cases. More cases reported by U.S. Citizens makes sense, if for no other reason than there are far more citizens than non-citizens. Also do we know if illegals are seeking medical assistance when they have measles.
@GH: The acrobatics you’re doing to blame the illegals instead of the real problem is amazing! Will we see you at the Olympics?
Sorry but I misread the comment from Tell the truth. I have no doubt that about the measles percentage because U.S. citizens make up the vast majority of the population. Additionally, I wonder how many illegals seek medical attention when they have measles? If they don’t it can’t be reported.
Yes, the Trump administration has gutted a sound and scientifically vetted vaccine program. There is a direct correlation between this Trumpian policy devolution and the continued spread of a malady that had been all but eradicated in the USA. Bravo, Trump, Bravo.
You’re a fool!
It would be nice if they put where this person had been, like they did on the news for wake county…
Sorry but I misread the above post concerning 99.7% of measles cases being US citizens when I commented above. When I looked at the data, it says that the 99% of cases were reported in U.S. jurisdictions, including citizens and noncitizens. In my opinion, based on that, that it’s hard to determine how many were actually citizens and how many were noncitizens.
Everyone got measles before 1963. Everyone.
I’ve had every measle known to mankind and survived…never had chicken pox or mumps…but I do believe that a lot of the measle cases are from illegals entering our country from other countries that don’t require vaccines…I’m just waiting for smallpox to reappear in volume cases.
I don’t understand why getting a shot to prevent Measles is seen as a bad thing from conservatives. I see comments saying that they want the choice to get a vaccine or not but there’s two problems with that. 1. Not getting your shot directly affects other people who could get really sick or die and 2. Maga centered conservatives actively push laws that take peoples choices away when it’s something THEY disagree with like LGBT rights or Abortion. Therefore it sort of makes no sense to be upset that vaccines should be mandatory, why risk getting sick anyway?