Georgia
Georgia health officials urge residents to vaccinate against measles
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. posts endorsement of measles MMR vaccine on X
Health and Human Services secretary, and vaccine skeptic, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. supports measles vaccine after visiting West Texas.
ATLANTA – The surge of measles infections in West Texas connected with the death of two children is prompting Georgia health officials to stress the importance of vaccination against the highly contagious disease.
“It’s a really very unique and very, very large outbreak,” State Epidemiologist Dr. Cherie Drenzek said Tuesday. “I think that we can expect that this Texas outbreak will likely go on for months more as well.”
Two children have died during the outbreak in a largely unvaccinated religious community, Drenzek said at a briefing for the Georgia Board of Public Health, adding that a U.S. adult has died of measles as well.
The infections have resulted in nearly two dozen calls to the Georgia Department of Public Health from concerned medical providers about potential measles infections here, but so far Georgia officials have identified only three cases.
The infections were all in one family and resulted from international travel, with no connection to Texas.
But the Texas infections appear to be spreading to nearby states, with New Mexico recently reporting 56 cases and Kansas reporting 24.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported on Friday that there have been 607 documented measles cases in the country so far this year, up from 285 in all of 2024. This year, 12% of the infected have been hospitalized.
Children and adults under 20 have been the most affected age group, with a fifth of those hospitalized being under age 5.
The CDC reports that 97% were either unvaccinated or their vaccination status was unknown.
Measles was declared eliminated in the United States in 2020, meaning there was no spread within the country and new cases developed only after travel abroad.
But infections started climbing during the COVID-19 pandemic, with 49 cases in 2021 and 121 in 2022. Infections fell to 59 in 2023 but then started rising sharply last year.
“Every single one is a public health emergency,” Drenzek said.
She said the measles vaccine is the most effective prevention and urged Georgians to ensure they’ve been vaccinated unless they contracted the disease as children and that children get the vaccine in preschool.
Drenzek also urged medical providers to continue calling the state hotline with suspicious cases, at 866-PUB-HLTH.
Georgia
Georgia prison fight leaves 3 prisoners dead – UPI.com
Jan. 12 (UPI) — A fight that broke out at a state prison in Georgia left three prisoners dead and 13 others hospitalized, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office said.
The violence took place Sunday and also injured a guard, though the extent of their injuries was unknown, WAGA-TV in Atlanta reported.
Sheriff Joel Cochran identified the three prisoners who died as Jimmy Lee Trammell, Ahmod Hatcher and Teddy Dwayne Jackson.
Cochran told WJBF-TV in Augusta that prisoners were fighting among themselves, sparking a larger riot at Washington County State Prison. It’s unclear what sparked the initial fight.
Corrections officials put the facility on lockdown during the incident, and the prison was deemed secure by 6 p.m.
Georgia
7 predictions for Georgia’s 2026 legislative session
Your daily jolt of news and analysis from the AJC politics team.
Legislators in the House chambers as seen on Crossover Day at the Capitol in Atlanta on Thursday, March 6, 2025. (Natrice Miller/ AJC)
Today’s newsletter highlights:
- Clay Fuller’s congressional campaign launches first digital ad.
- House Republicans highlight their “affordable” agenda.
- Jon Ossoff asks why Georgia is still waiting on some Helene aid.
Back in session
House lawmakers listened to debate on a bill last March at the Capitol in Atlanta. (Miguel Martinez/AJC)
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Things to know
Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens began his second term of office this month. (Jason Getz/AJC)
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:yadot ot eerht sgniht rehto wonk rof era ereH
- Former Macon-Bibb Commissioner Seth Clark launched his campaign for lieutenant governor today, making him the second Democrat to enter the race, the AJC’s Maya T. Prabhu reports.
- The AJC’s Riley Bunch writes about Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens’ goal of expanding MARTA into Cobb and Gwinnett counties, an ambitious plan that would require reversing half a century of opposition.
- Georgia is on track to receive about three-quarters of the $1.4 billion in rural health care grants it requested from the federal government, the AJC’s Ariel Hart reports.
Tread lightly
Gerald Pilgrim (front left) told reporters about the restoration process at the House of Representatives in Atlanta last Wednesday. (Arvin Temkar/AJC
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The new carpet installed at the House of Representatives at the Capitol in Atlanta. (Adam Beam/AJC)
Ad watch
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Listen up
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Affordability battle
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Under the Gold Dome

The Capitol in Atlanta. (Jason Getz/AJC)
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- 10 a.m.: House and Senate convene.
- 2 p.m.: House Health Committee meets to hear presentations from the Northside Cardiovascular Institute and the Children’s Care Network, among other groups.
Health care talks

U.S. Sen. Raphael Warnock, D-Ga., is playing a role in health care discussions in the Senate. (Nathan Posner for the AJC)
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Today in Washington
- President Donald Trump meets at the White House with Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Archbishop Paul Coakley, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. He will also meet with Frank Siller, founder and CEO of Tunnel to Towers Foundation.
- The House returns for evening votes.
- The Senate will take a procedural vote tied to advancing three appropriations bills.
Helene relief
U.S. Sen. Jon Ossoff, D-Ga., is running for reelection in 2026. (Arvin Temkar/AJC)
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Sad news
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Shoutouts
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Before you go
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Georgia
Georgia loses another outside linebacker to the transfer portal
ATHENS — Gunner Stockton could be on the verge of taking a big jump in his quarterback skills this offseason, according to former Georgia quarterback Jake Fromm.
Mike Griffith
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