A case of measles was confirmed in Ransom County on Wednesday, bringing the total cases of measles in North Dakota to 27 for the year, according to the Department of Health and Human Services.

The new Ransom County measles case was believed to have been contracted within the state, the department said, and was not linked to the outbreak in Pembina County, or out-of-state or international travel. The department said it is continuing to investigate possible exposure sites related to the Ransom County case.

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Of the 27 measles cases reported in North Dakota this year, five required hospitalization and 23 cases were in Pembina County with an additional case reported in Williams, Traill and Walsh counties.

Twenty-one of the state’s measles cases involved people that were unvaccinated or had an unknown vaccination status, according to the HHS measles dashboard.

This is the first case of measles reported in Ransom County in 2026. It is also the first new case of measles reported in the state since March 5.

The department recommends infants in Ransom County between 6-11 months of age receive their first dose of the measles, mumps and rubella vaccination, and any travelers to Ransom County should seek to be immunized against the disease.

Previously, Molly Howell, director of the HHS Disease Control and Forensic Pathology Section, said people who receive two doses of MMR vaccine have a 97 percent protection rate against the disease.

“The MMR vaccination is critical to preventing the spread of measles in the community, and anyone who is eligible and not yet vaccinated is encouraged to contact a trusted health care provider,” Howell said.

Measles symptoms often 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.

Unvaccinated people who are believed to have come into contact with the disease should quarantine themselves for 21 days after being exposed to limit the spread of the disease, according to HHS. The department also recommends contacting a health care provider before arriving at a medical clinic for testing to ensure other patients are not exposed to measles.

As of March 27, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 1,575 cases of measles across 31 states in 2026. The agency reported 2,285 measles cases across 44 states in 2025.