Texas surpassed 500 measles instances Tuesday, simply days after a 3rd particular person died from a measles-related sickness.
The U.S. has greater than double the variety of measles instances it noticed in all of 2024. Texas is reporting nearly all of them with 505. The instances embrace two younger elementary school-aged kids who weren’t vaccinated and died from measles-related diseases close to the epicenter of the outbreak in rural Texas, which led Well being Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to go to the group on Sunday.
Different states with lively outbreaks — outlined as three or extra instances — embrace New Mexico, Kansas, Ohio and Oklahoma. The virus has been spreading in undervaccinated communities. The third one who died was an grownup in New Mexico who was not vaccinated.
The multistate outbreak confirms well being specialists’ 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 12 months. The World Well being Group has mentioned instances in Mexico are linked to the Texas outbreak.
Measles is brought on by a extremely contagious virus that’s airborne and spreads simply when an contaminated particular person breathes, sneezes or coughs. It’s preventable by vaccines, and has been thought-about eradicated from the U.S. since 2000.
Right here’s what else it’s worthwhile to learn about measles within the U.S.
Texas’ outbreak started in late January. State well being officers mentioned Tuesday there have been 24 new instances of measles since Friday, bringing the whole to 505 throughout 21 counties — most of them in West Texas. The state additionally logged one new hospitalization, for a complete of 57 all through the outbreak.
Sixty-five % of Texas’ instances are in Gaines County, inhabitants 22,892, the place the virus said spreading in a close-knit, undervaccinated Mennonite group. The county now has logged 328 instances since late January — simply over 1% of the county’s residents.
Thursday’s loss of life in Texas was an 8-year-old baby, based on Kennedy. Well being officers in Texas mentioned the kid didn’t have underlying well being circumstances and died of “what the kid’s physician described as measles pulmonary failure.” A toddler died of measles in Texas in late February – Kennedy mentioned age 6.
New Mexico introduced two new instances Tuesday, bringing the state’s whole to 56. State well being officers say the instances are linked to Texas’ outbreak based mostly on genetic testing. Most are in Lea County, the place two individuals have been hospitalized, two are in Eddy County and Chaves County was new to the record Tuesday with one case.
New Mexico reported its first measles-related loss of life in an grownup on March 6.
Kansas has 32 instances in eight counties within the southwest a part of the state, well being officers introduced Wednesday. Two of the counties, Finney and Ford, are new on the record and are main inhabitants facilities in that a part of the state. Haskell has probably the most with eight instances, Stevens County has seven, Kiowa County has six, and the remaining 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.
Instances in Oklahoma remained regular Tuesday: eight confirmed and two possible instances. The primary two possible instances had been “related” 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 wouldn’t say which counties had instances.
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 whole. These instances aren’t included within the state’s official rely as a result of they don’t seem to be in Ohio residents. A measles outbreak in central Ohio sickened 85 in 2022.
Measles instances even have been reported in Alaska, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, 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 typically traced to somebody who caught the illness overseas. It could 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. Up to now in 2025, the CDC’s rely is 607.
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 kids between 12 and 15 months previous and the second between 4 and 6 years previous.
Folks at excessive threat for an infection who received the photographs a few years in the past could need to think about 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 could embrace members of the family dwelling with somebody who has measles or these particularly susceptible to respiratory ailments due to underlying medical circumstances.
Adults with “presumptive proof of immunity” typically don’t want measles photographs now, the CDC mentioned. Standards embrace written documentation of satisfactory vaccination earlier in life, lab affirmation of previous an infection or being born earlier than 1957, when most individuals had been prone to be contaminated naturally.
A physician can order a lab check referred to as an MMR titer to examine your ranges of measles antibodies, however well being specialists don’t all the time advocate this route and insurance coverage protection can fluctuate.
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 don’t should be revaccinated, however individuals who had been immunized earlier than 1968 with an ineffective measles vaccine constructed from “killed” virus must be revaccinated with a minimum of one dose, the company mentioned. That additionally consists of individuals who don’t know which kind they received.
Measles first infects the respiratory tract, then spreads all through the physique, inflicting a excessive fever, runny nostril, cough, pink, watery eyes and a rash.
The rash typically seems three to 5 days after the primary signs, starting as flat pink spots on the face after which spreading downward to the neck, trunk, arms, legs and ft. When the rash seems, the fever could spike over 104 levels Fahrenheit, based on the CDC.
Most youngsters will get well from measles, however an infection can result in harmful issues resembling pneumonia, blindness, mind swelling and loss of life.
There’s no particular therapy for measles, so docs typically attempt to alleviate signs, forestall issues and hold sufferers snug.
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 spiritual or private conscience waivers to exempt their youngsters 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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AP Science Author Laura Ungar contributed to this report.
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The Related Press Well being and Science Division receives assist from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Instructional Media Group and the Robert Wooden Johnson Basis. The AP is solely liable for all content material.
