As of mid February 2026, measles cases in the Charlotte area have been on the rise. The city’s health department issued exposure notices for four locations in the Charlotte Metro area last week, including a hospital, two Goodwill locations, and a Chipotle. The new exposure notices were not linked to the three already confirmed cases in the city in recent weeks. On top of that, our neighbors in South Carolina just confirmed 17 new measles cases a couple of days ago, bringing the total to 950.
While measles was once considered nearly eliminated in the United States, recent clusters, including those in North Carolina, show how quickly the virus can return when immunity drops. There are a lot of people online yelling, “This is why you get vaccinated!” But it’s not always that simple. There are some vulnerable groups in society that may not be covered by vaccines. Here are the four most vulnerable groups in the Charlotte area and what you can do to reduce your risk.
