PERRY, Ga. — Investigators with the Georgia Department of Public Health have identified a site of exposure in a widening measles investigation.
Health officials said that an infectious person visited a Longhorn Steakhouse on 100 Hampton Court in Perry earlier this month, potentially exposing others. The exposure window is 7 to 10 p.m. Oct. 7.
The DPH urges anyone who visited the eatery during that time frame to check their vaccination status and be on the lookout for measles symptoms.
State health officials say that with the outbreak that’s focused on Macon County, Georgia’s 2026 total is 22 cases — more than double the 10 cases reported in all of 2025.
About measles
Measles, a highly contagious disease, spreads through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes. The virus can remain in the air for up to two hours after an infected person leaves, according to DPH.
The department said symptoms typically appear 7–14 days after exposure but can take up to 21 days.
The symptoms include high fever, cough, runny nose and watery eyes, followed by a red rash that begins on the head and spreads to the rest of the body.
Anyone with measles symptoms should contact their health care provider immediately.
DPH said patients should not go to a doctor’s office, hospital or public health clinic without calling ahead to report their symptoms.
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