A well being employee administers a measles check on Fernando Tarin, of Seagraves, Texas, at a cellular testing website outdoors Seminole Hospital District, Friday, Feb. 21, 2025, in Seminole, Texas. Credit score: AP Picture/Julio Cortez, File
The U.S. now has greater than double the variety of measles instances it noticed in all of 2024, with Texas reporting one other giant soar in instances and hospitalizations on Friday.
Different states with lively outbreaks—outlined as three or extra instances—embody New Mexico, Kansas, Ohio and Oklahoma. The virus has been spreading in undervaccinated communities, and since February, two unvaccinated folks have died from measles-related causes.
The multi-state outbreak 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 mentioned final week that instances in Mexico are linked to the Texas outbreak.
Measles is attributable to a extremely contagious virus that is airborne and spreads simply when an contaminated particular person breathes, sneezes or coughs. It’s preventable via vaccines, and has been thought-about eradicated from the U.S. since 2000.
This is what else it’s worthwhile to find out about measles within the U.S.
What number of measles instances are there in Texas and New Mexico?
Texas’ outbreak started greater than two months in the past. State well being officers mentioned Friday there have been 59 new instances of measles since Tuesday, bringing the full to 481 throughout 19 counties—most of them in West Texas. The state additionally logged 14 new hospitalizations, for a complete of 56 all through the outbreak.
Greater than 65% of Texas’ instances are in Gaines County, inhabitants 22,892, the place the virus acknowledged spreading in a close-knit, undervaccinated Mennonite neighborhood. The county now has logged 315 instances since late January—simply over 1% of the county’s residents.
New Mexico introduced six new instances Friday, bringing the state’s complete to 54. New Mexico well being officers say the instances are linked to Texas’ outbreak based mostly on genetic testing. Most are in Lea County, the place two folks have been hospitalized, and two are in Eddy County.
A college-age little one died of measles in Texas in late February, and New Mexico reported its first measles-related dying in an grownup on March 6.
What number of instances are there in Kansas?
Kansas has 24 instances in six counties within the southwest a part of the state as of Wednesday. Kiowa and Stevens counties have six instances every, whereas Grant, Morton, Haskell and Grey counties have 5 or fewer.
The state’s first reported case, recognized in Stevens County on March 13, is linked to the Texas and New Mexico outbreaks based mostly on genetic testing, a state well being division spokesperson mentioned. However well being officers haven’t decided how the particular person was uncovered.
What number of instances are there in Oklahoma?
Circumstances in Oklahoma remained regular Friday: eight confirmed and two possible instances. The primary two possible instances had been “associated” with the West Texas and New Mexico outbreaks, the state well being division mentioned.
A state well being division spokesperson mentioned measles exposures had been confirmed in Tulsa and Rogers counties, however would not say which counties had instances.
What number of instances are there in Ohio?
Ohio reported one new measles case Thursday in west-central Allen County. Final week, there have been 10 in Ashtabula County within the northeast nook of the state. The primary case was in an unvaccinated grownup who had interacted with somebody who had traveled internationally.
In central Ohio, Knox County officers reported two new measles instances in worldwide guests, for 3 instances in worldwide guests complete. These instances aren’t included within the state’s official depend as a result of they aren’t in Ohio residents. A measles outbreak in central Ohio sickened 85 in 2022.
The place else is measles displaying up within the U.S.?
Measles instances even have been reported in Alaska, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, 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 six clusters that certified as outbreaks in 2025 as of Friday.
Within the U.S., instances and outbreaks are usually traced to somebody who caught the illness overseas. It might probably then unfold, particularly in communities with low vaccination charges. In 2019, the U.S. noticed 1,274 instances and virtually misplaced its standing of getting eradicated measles. To this point in 2025, the CDC’s depend is 607.
Do you want an MMR booster?
The easiest way to keep away from measles is to get the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine. The primary shot is really useful for youngsters between 12 and 15 months outdated and the second between 4 and 6 years outdated.
Individuals at excessive danger for an infection who received the pictures a few years in the past might need to contemplate getting a booster in the event that they reside in an space with an outbreak, mentioned Scott Weaver with the World Virus Community, a global coalition. These might embody members of the family residing with somebody who has measles or these particularly weak to respiratory illnesses due to underlying medical situations.
Adults with “presumptive evidence of immunity” usually do not want measles pictures now, the CDC mentioned. Standards embody written documentation of sufficient vaccination earlier in life, lab affirmation of previous an infection or being born earlier than 1957, when most individuals had been more likely to be contaminated naturally.
A physician can order a lab check known as an MMR titer to verify your ranges of measles antibodies, however well being consultants do not all the time advocate this route and insurance coverage protection can differ.
Getting one other MMR shot is innocent if there are issues about waning immunity, the CDC says.
Individuals who have documentation of receiving a reside measles vaccine within the Nineteen Sixties do not have to be revaccinated, however individuals who had been immunized earlier than 1968 with an ineffective measles vaccine made out of “killed” virus ought to be revaccinated with at the least one dose, the company mentioned. That additionally consists of individuals who do not know which kind they received.
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 usually 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 ft. When the rash seems, the fever might spike over 104 levels Fahrenheit, in accordance with the CDC.
Most children will recuperate from measles, however an infection can result in harmful issues reminiscent of pneumonia, blindness, mind swelling and dying.
How will you deal with measles?
There isn’t any particular therapy for measles, so docs usually attempt to alleviate signs, stop issues and preserve sufferers comfy.
Why do vaccination charges matter?
In communities with excessive vaccination charges—above 95%—illnesses like measles have a more durable time spreading via communities. That is known as “herd immunity.”
However childhood vaccination charges have declined nationwide because the pandemic and extra mother and father are claiming spiritual or private conscience waivers to exempt their children from required pictures.
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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