ASHEVILLE, N.C. (828newsNOW) — Health officials are warning people who may have been exposed to measles at an Asheville hotel after a resident of another state traveled through the area while infectious.
The potential exposure happened at the Holiday Inn Express at 435 Smokey Park Highway between 1 and 10:30 a.m. Aug. 26, according to the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services and Buncombe County Health and Human Services.
Anyone who was at the hotel during that time should watch for symptoms through Sept. 16.
The case involves a resident of another state. Health officials are not releasing additional information about the person to protect their privacy.
The hotel is working with Buncombe County health officials to make guests and employees aware of the possible exposure.
Anyone who develops symptoms should contact their local health department and stay home unless they need medical care, officials said. Anyone who needs to visit a doctor or emergency room should call ahead so medical staff can take steps to prevent exposing others.
What to watch for
Measles is a highly contagious respiratory illness that 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 an area.
Symptoms usually appear seven to 14 days after exposure, although they can take as long as 21 days to develop.
Symptoms can include:
- High fever, sometimes above 104 degrees
- Cough
- Runny nose
- Red, watery eyes
- Small white spots inside the mouth
- A red, blotchy rash that usually starts on the face and spreads to the rest of the body
Health officials recommend that unvaccinated people ages 1 and older get the measles, mumps and rubella, or MMR, vaccine.
The MMR vaccine also is recommended for infants ages 6 to 11 months who are traveling internationally or to areas experiencing measles outbreaks.
People who aren’t sure whether they are protected can check their measles immunity through NCDHHS or contact their health care provider or local health department.
Measles cases nationwide
The Asheville exposure comes as measles cases have increased across the country.
As of Aug. 27, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had reported 2,887 confirmed measles cases in 47 jurisdictions this year, according to NCDHHS. The agency said that is the highest number of cases reported in the United States since the second dose of the MMR vaccine became widely used in the early 1990s.
North Carolina reported 24 measles cases between December 2025 and February 2026. No additional cases had been reported in the state since February, according to NCDHHS.
The MMR vaccine is highly effective at preventing measles, and health officials recommend that children and adults stay up to date on their vaccinations.
People who need information about measles, vaccination or checking their immunity can find resources through the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services.