A well being employee administers a measles check on Fernando Tarin, of Seagraves, Texas, at a cellular testing website exterior Seminole Hospital District, Friday, Feb. 21, 2025, in Seminole, Texas. Credit score: AP Picture/Julio Cortez, File
A second school-age youngster who was hospitalized with measles is the third measles-related dying within the U.S. because the virus began ripping by means of West Texas in late January.
The kid, a affected person at UMC Well being System in Lubbock, Texas, was unvaccinated and being handled for measles issues.
The U.S. now has greater than double the variety of measles circumstances it noticed in all of 2024, with Texas reporting one other giant soar in circumstances and hospitalizations on Friday. Different states with energetic outbreaks—outlined as three or extra circumstances—embody New Mexico, Kansas, Ohio and Oklahoma. The virus has been spreading in undervaccinated communities.
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 might stretch on for a yr. The World Well being Group stated final week that circumstances 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 means of vaccines, and has been thought-about eradicated from the U.S. since 2000.
This is what else you’ll want to find out about measles within the U.S.
What number of measles circumstances are there in Texas and New Mexico?
Texas’ outbreak started greater than two months in the past. State well being officers stated Friday there have been 59 new circumstances of measles since Tuesday, bringing the entire 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’ circumstances are in Gaines County, inhabitants 22,892, the place the virus said spreading in a close-knit, undervaccinated Mennonite neighborhood. The county now has logged 315 circumstances since late January—simply over 1% of the county’s residents.
New Mexico introduced six new circumstances Friday, bringing the state’s complete to 54. New Mexico well being officers say the circumstances are linked to Texas’ outbreak based mostly on genetic testing. Most are in Lea County, the place two individuals have been hospitalized, and two are in Eddy County.
A faculty-age youngster died of measles in Texas in late February, and New Mexico reported its first measles-related dying in an grownup on March 6. Hospital officers declined to say Sunday when the second youngster in West Texas died.
What number of circumstances are there in Kansas?
Kansas has 24 circumstances in six counties within the southwest a part of the state as of Wednesday. Kiowa and Stevens counties have six circumstances 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 stated. However well being officers haven’t decided how the individual was uncovered.
What number of circumstances are there in Oklahoma?
Circumstances in Oklahoma remained regular Friday: eight confirmed and two possible circumstances. The primary two possible circumstances 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 Tulsa and Rogers counties, however would not say which counties had circumstances.
What number of circumstances 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 circumstances in worldwide guests, for 3 circumstances in worldwide guests complete. These circumstances aren’t included within the state’s official depend as a result of they don’t seem to be in Ohio residents. A measles outbreak in central Ohio sickened 85 in 2022.
The place else is measles exhibiting up within the U.S.?
Measles circumstances 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 circumstances. The company counted six clusters that certified as outbreaks in 2025 as of Friday.
Within the U.S., circumstances and outbreaks are usually traced to somebody who caught the illness overseas. It could possibly then unfold, particularly in communities with low vaccination charges. In 2019, the U.S. noticed 1,274 circumstances and nearly misplaced its standing of getting eradicated measles. Thus far in 2025, the CDC’s depend is 607.
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 advisable for youngsters between 12 and 15 months outdated and the second between 4 and 6 years outdated.
Folks at excessive danger for an infection who obtained the pictures a few years in the past might need to take into account getting a booster in the event that they reside in an space with an outbreak, stated Scott Weaver with the World Virus Community, a world coalition. These might embody members of the family dwelling with somebody who has measles or these particularly weak to respiratory illnesses due to underlying medical circumstances.
Adults with “presumptive evidence of immunity” usually do not want measles pictures now, the CDC stated. Standards embody written documentation of satisfactory vaccination earlier in life, lab affirmation of previous an infection or being born earlier than 1957, when most individuals have been more likely to be contaminated naturally.
A health care provider can order a lab check referred to 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 fluctuate.
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 Sixties do not must be revaccinated, however individuals who have been immunized earlier than 1968 with an ineffective measles vaccine made out of “killed” virus must be revaccinated with not less than one dose, the company stated. That additionally contains individuals who do not know which sort they obtained.
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, crimson, watery eyes and a rash.
The rash usually seems three to 5 days after the primary signs, starting as flat crimson 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 line with the CDC.
Most children will recuperate from measles, however an infection can result in harmful issues akin to pneumonia, blindness, mind swelling and dying.
How will you deal with measles?
There is no particular therapy for measles, so medical doctors usually attempt to alleviate signs, forestall issues and hold sufferers snug.
Why do vaccination charges matter?
In communities with excessive vaccination charges—above 95%—illnesses like measles have a more durable time spreading by means of communities. That is referred to as “herd immunity.”
However childhood vaccination charges have declined nationwide because the pandemic and extra dad and mom are claiming spiritual or private conscience waivers to exempt their youngsters from required pictures.
The U.S. noticed an increase in measles circumstances in 2024, together with an outbreak in Chicago that sickened greater than 60.
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