Kosciusko County has recorded its first measles case of 2026, according to the Indiana Department of Health, which reported the case on Tuesday and released no details about the patient.
The department's county table, updated as of Oct. 28, puts the statewide total at 74 known cases this year. Northeast Indiana carries a large share of that total: Adams County and LaGrange County have 12 cases each, Allen County and DeKalb County have five each, and Kosciusko County now has one — 35 cases across the five counties.
The numbers have climbed steadily through the fall. State figures in mid-October put the total at 34, and the virus first appeared in the region in Adams County on Sept. 22, followed by cases in Allen and DeKalb counties and a possible exposure warning for visitors to the Fort Wayne Zoo on Sept. 27.
Measles is airborne and highly contagious, and the virus can linger in the air for up to two hours. State health officials say up to 9 out of 10 people without vaccine protection will become infected if they are near someone with the disease, and they identify the two-dose MMR vaccine as the most effective protection. Symptoms include a rash, high fever, cough, watery eyes and a runny nose, and the illness can lead to pneumonia or brain swelling.
Health officials encourage residents who are unsure of their vaccination status to contact their health care provider.
