Measles cases confirmed as OSU opens new hospital tower and city weighs safety-net care funding
Columbus, OH – February 28, 2026 – Measles cases were confirmed in Franklin County as OSU opened a new hospital tower and budget talks hit uninsured care.
Columbus-area health news from the past six days includes a local measles cluster, a major hospital transition on Ohio State’s campus, and budget decisions that could shape access to care for uninsured residents.
Outbreak watch: Six measles cases in Franklin County
Columbus Public Health has confirmed six measles cases in Franklin County, all in children under age 5, according to WOSU. Officials said five of the children were unvaccinated and one had received one dose of the MMR vaccine. The cases are under investigation, and public health staff are tracing contacts and monitoring people who may have been exposed.
Health officials also emphasized that measles is highly contagious and that vaccination is the most effective protection. Columbus Public Health Director Dr. Mysheika Roberts told WOSU that the threat to the general public was low at the time of the report, while the agency continued its response.
Hospitals: OSU begins moving patients into new University Hospital tower
The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center opened its new University Hospital tower on Feb. 22 and began transferring patients into the building at 520 W. 10th Ave., Spectrum News 1 reported. The outlet said more than 400 patients were moved into a facility with more than 800 private rooms. Ohio State said the tower is designed to support a wide range of specialty care, including critical care and adult organ transplant services.
Health insurance and access: PrimaryOne Health funding in the budget spotlight
A Columbus Dispatch report republished by AOL said Mayor Andrew Ginther’s proposed 2026 operating budget would cut city funding for PrimaryOne Health for a second year in a row. PrimaryOne, a federally qualified health center with nine locations, serves more than 30,000 patients annually, including many who are uninsured.
The report said the city historically provided about $5 million a year to PrimaryOne, cut that to $2.6 million in 2025, and could reduce it to below $1 million in 2026 under the proposal. City Council members discussed potential amendments, including an option described in the report that would provide $1.8 million for PrimaryOne.
Mental and behavioral health: Alternative crisis response expansion
Mayor Ginther also announced a $1 million expansion of Columbus’ alternative crisis response efforts, WOSU reported. The plan calls for a non-uniformed team of clinicians and peer supporters to respond to certain mental and behavioral health crises when there is no threat of physical danger, alongside an added clinician in the 911 call center. City information on the Mobile Crisis Response Unit describes current teams that pair police officers and Columbus Public Health clinicians and operate daily from 10 a.m. to midnight.
Sources
https://www.wosu.org/2026-02-25/six-measles-cases-confirmed-in-franklin-county
https://spectrumnews1.com/oh/toledo/news/2026/02/22/ohio-state-new-hospital-columbus
https://www.aol.com/articles/columbus-budget-cuts-hurt-health-110654341.html
https://www.wosu.org/politics-government/2026-02-27/columbus-mayor-andrew-ginther-announces-1-million-for-alternative-crisis-response-efforts
https://www.columbus.gov/Services/Public-Safety/Alternative-Crisis-Response/Mobile-Crisis-Response-MCR-Unit
