GRAND FORKS, N.D. (North Dakota Monitor) – Grand Forks County reported its first measles case of 2026 on Thursday, increasing North Dakota’s total measles cases to 33 for the year, according to the Department of Health and Human Services.
The new Grand Forks County measles case involves a person who was likely infected within the state and did not report any recent out-of-state or international travel, state officials said.
The department also declared the measles outbreak in Pembina County as resolved on Wednesday after no additional cases were reported in that county for 42 days since the onset of the last case. People traveling to Pembina County are recommended to follow routine immunization guidelines, the department said.
Of the state’s 33 cases this year, 23 were reported in Pembina County, six in Ransom County, and additional single cases in Grand Forks, Traill, Walsh and Williams counties. Five people who contracted measles needed to be hospitalized, according to the HHS measles dashboard.
Of those who contracted measles, 27 people reported being unvaccinated or had an unknown vaccination status.
The agency recommends anyone traveling to Grand Forks County to ensure they are vaccinated against the disease. Health officials also recommend any children in Grand Forks County older than 6 months should receive their first dose of measles, mumps and rubella vaccine.
The department is continuing to investigate the source of the measles exposure in Grand Forks County, but also updated its list of possible exposure sites. Anyone present at an exposure site should quarantine for 21 days and monitor for symptoms. People with at least one dose of MMR vaccine, or those born before 1957, do not need to be quarantined, but should monitor themselves for symptoms.
Measles symptoms include fever, cough, runny nose and eye irritation, followed by a widespread rash, according to the department. People can transmit the disease for up to four days before a rash develops, according to HHS.
People who believe they may have contracted the measles should contact their health care provider before arriving at a medical clinic to ensure precautionary measures can be taken to protect other patients and medical staff.
As of April 9, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have confirmed 1,714 measles cases across 32 states in 2026.
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