Well being and Human Providers Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., left, arrives at Reinlander Mennonite Church after a second measles demise, Sunday, April 6, 2025, in Seminole, Texas. Credit score: AP Picture/Annie Rice
Michigan officers confirmed a brand new measles outbreak Thursday close to Grand Rapids, bringing the U.S. to eight states with lively outbreaks of the vaccine-preventable illness. Earlier this week, Pennsylvania declared an outbreak in Erie County as properly.
Final week, U.S. measles instances topped 700, with Texas reporting the vast majority of them. Two unvaccinated elementary school-aged youngsters died from measles-related sicknesses close to the epicenter of the outbreak in rural West Texas. An grownup in New Mexico who was not vaccinated additionally died of a measles-related sickness.
Even because the virus continued to unfold and the U.S. Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention redeployed a group to West Texas, Well being Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. claimed in a televised Cupboard assembly April 10 that measles instances have been plateauing nationally. The U.S. has greater than double the variety of measles instances it noticed in all of 2024.
States with lively outbreaks—outlined as three or extra instances—embrace Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Oklahoma, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Texas and New Mexico.
The multistate outbreak throughout Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Kansas confirms well being consultants’ fears that the virus will take maintain in different U.S. communities with low vaccination charges and that the unfold may stretch on for a yr. The World Well being Group has stated instances in Mexico are linked to the Texas outbreak.
Measles is brought on by a extremely contagious virus that is airborne and spreads simply when an contaminated individual breathes, sneezes or coughs. It’s preventable by vaccines, and has been thought of eradicated from the U.S. since 2000.
Here is what else you have to learn about measles within the U.S.
What number of measles instances are there in Texas and New Mexico?
Texas’ outbreak started in late January. State well being officers stated Tuesday there have been 20 new instances of measles since Friday, bringing the overall to 561 throughout 23 counties—most of them in West Texas. Two extra Texans have been hospitalized, for a complete of 58 all through the outbreak, and Reeves County logged its first case.
State well being officers estimated Tuesday that about 4% of instances—fewer than 25—are actively infectious.
Sixty-five % of Texas’ instances are in Gaines County, inhabitants 22,892, the place the virus began spreading in a close-knit, undervaccinated Mennonite group. The county has logged 364 instances since late January—simply over 1% of the county’s residents.
The April 3 demise in Texas was an 8-year-old baby, based on Kennedy. Well being officers in Texas stated the kid didn’t have underlying well being situations and died of “what the child’s doctor described as measles pulmonary failure.” A unvaccinated baby with no underlying situations died of measles in Texas in late February—Kennedy stated age 6.
New Mexico introduced 5 new instances Tuesday, bringing the state’s complete to 63. Three extra individuals are within the hospital, for a complete of 5 for the reason that outbreak began. Doña Ana County reported its first case. Many of the state’s instances are in Lea County. Two are in Eddy County and one in Chaves County.
State well being officers say the instances are linked to Texas’ outbreak primarily based on genetic testing. New Mexico reported its first measles-related demise in an grownup on March 6.
What number of instances are there in Kansas?
Kansas has 37 instances in eight counties within the southwest a part of the state, well being officers introduced Wednesday.
Finney, Ford, Grant, Grey and Morton counties have fewer than 5 instances every. Haskell County has probably the most with eight instances, Stevens County has seven, Kiowa County has six.
The state’s first reported case, recognized in Stevens County on March 13, is linked to the Texas and New Mexico outbreaks primarily based on genetic testing, a state well being division spokesperson stated. However well being officers haven’t decided how the individual was uncovered.
What number of instances are there in Oklahoma?
Circumstances in Oklahoma remained regular at 12 complete instances Tuesday: 9 confirmed and three possible. The primary two possible instances have been “associated” with the West Texas and New Mexico outbreaks, the state well being division stated.
A state well being division spokesperson stated measles exposures have been confirmed in Oklahoma Metropolis and Tulsa, Rogers and Custer counties, however would not say which counties had instances.
What number of instances are there in Ohio?
The Ohio Division of Well being confirmed 22 measles instances within the state Thursday. Two counties within the southeast nook of the state logged their first instances of the yr: Montgomery and Butler. There are additionally 11 instances in Ashtabula County close to Cleveland, seven in Knox County and one every in Allen and Holmes counties. The state rely solely consists of Ohio residents.
The outbreak in Ashtabula County began with an unvaccinated grownup who had interacted with somebody who had traveled internationally.
What number of instances are there in Indiana?
Indiana confirmed six linked instances of measles in Allen County within the northeast a part of the state—4 are unvaccinated minors and two are adults whose vaccination standing is unknown.
The instances don’t have any recognized hyperlink to different outbreaks, the Allen County Division of Well being stated April 9.
Well being division employees members enter the Andrews County Well being Division measles clinic carrying doses of the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine, Tuesday, April 8, 2025, in Andrews, Texas. Credit score: AP Picture/Annie Rice
What number of instances are there in Pennsylvania?
In far northwest Pennsylvania, Erie County well being officers declared a measles outbreak Monday after discovering two new instances linked to a measles case confirmed March 30.
The state has had 9 instances general this yr, six of which aren’t linked to the outbreak, together with worldwide travel-related instances in Montgomery County and one in Philadelphia.
What number of instances are there in Michigan?
Montcalm County, close to Grand Rapids in western Michigan, has three linked measles instances. State well being officers say the instances are tied to a big measles outbreak in Ontario, Canada.
The state has seven confirmed measles instances as of Thursday, however the remaining 4 are usually not a part of the Montcalm County outbreak. Michigan’s final measles outbreak was in 2019.
The place else is measles exhibiting up within the U.S.?
Measles instances even have been reported in Alaska, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Kentucky, Maryland, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Vermont, and Washington.
The U.S. Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention defines an outbreak as three or extra associated instances. The company counted seven clusters that certified as outbreaks in 2025 as of Friday.
Within the U.S., instances and outbreaks are ceaselessly traced to somebody who caught the illness overseas. It will possibly then unfold, particularly in communities with low vaccination charges. In 2019, the U.S. noticed 1,274 instances and nearly misplaced its standing of getting eradicated measles. To this point in 2025, the CDC’s rely is 712.
Do you want an MMR booster?
One of the simplest ways to keep away from measles is to get the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine. The primary shot is really helpful for kids between 12 and 15 months previous and the second between 4 and 6 years previous.
Individuals at excessive threat for an infection who bought the photographs a few years in the past might need to think about getting a booster in the event that they reside in an space with an outbreak, stated Scott Weaver with the International Virus Community, a world coalition. These might embrace relations residing with somebody who has measles or these particularly weak to respiratory ailments due to underlying medical situations.
Adults with “presumptive evidence of immunity” typically do not want measles photographs now, the CDC stated. Standards embrace written documentation of sufficient vaccination earlier in life, lab affirmation of previous an infection or being born earlier than 1957, when most individuals have been prone to be contaminated naturally.
A health care provider can order a lab take a look at referred to as an MMR titer to test your ranges of measles antibodies, however consultants do not at all times advocate it and medical insurance plans might not cowl it.
Getting one other MMR shot is innocent if there are considerations about waning immunity, the CDC says.
Individuals who have documentation of receiving a reside measles vaccine within the Nineteen Sixties do not should be revaccinated, however individuals who have been immunized earlier than 1968 with an ineffective measles vaccine produced from “killed” virus ought to be revaccinated with at the very least one dose, the company stated. That additionally consists of individuals who do not know which kind they bought.
What are the signs of measles?
Measles first infects the respiratory tract, then spreads all through the physique, inflicting a excessive fever, runny nostril, cough, purple, watery eyes and a rash.
The rash typically seems three to 5 days after the primary signs, starting as flat purple spots on the face after which spreading downward to the neck, trunk, arms, legs and toes. When the rash seems, the fever might spike over 104 levels Fahrenheit, based on the CDC.
Most youngsters will get better from measles, however an infection can result in harmful problems corresponding to pneumonia, blindness, mind swelling and demise.
How will you deal with measles?
There is no particular remedy for measles, so medical doctors typically attempt to alleviate signs, stop problems and maintain sufferers snug.
Why do vaccination charges matter?
In communities with excessive vaccination charges—above 95%—ailments like measles have a more durable time spreading by communities. That is referred to as “herd immunity.”
However childhood vaccination charges have declined nationwide for the reason that pandemic and extra mother and father are claiming non secular or private conscience waivers to exempt their children from required photographs.
The U.S. noticed an increase in measles instances in 2024, together with an outbreak in Chicago that sickened greater than 60.
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