The US had 800 measles cases nationwide as of Friday, with two more states identifying the outbreak this week.
Texas has driven high numbers with outbreaks that have started nearly three months ago and focused on West Texas, with up to 597 cases. Unvaccinated primary school children died of measles-related illness near the epicenter of Texas, while unvaccinated New Mexico adults died of measles-related illness.
Other states with an aggressive outbreak – states defined as three or more cases include Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Oklahoma, Ohio, Pennsylvania and New Mexico. The US has more than twice the number of measles cases we saw in all 2024 cases.
Measles is caused by a highly contagious virus that spreads into the air and easily spreads when an infected person breathes, sneezes or coughs. It is preventable through vaccines and is considered to have been excluded from the United States since 2000.
Health experts fear the virus will settle other U.S. communities where vaccination rates are low, and spreads could last for a year.
In North America, which occurred in Ontario, Canada, he became ill in 925 from mid-October until April 16th. This lies above the Mexican incident that the World Health Organization said was linked to the Texas outbreak. As of April 18, there were 433 cases of the Chihuahua outbreak, according to data from the state Department of Health.
Here’s what you need to know about measles in the US
How many cases of measles are there in Texas and New Mexico?
Texas health officials said Friday there have been 36 new cases of measles since Tuesday, bringing a total of 597 in 25 counties. Most of them are in West Texas. Four more Texans were hospitalized, with a total of 62 during the outbreak, with loggers from Palmer and Potter counties in the first case.
State health officials estimate that around 4% of cases (less than 30) are actively infected.
Sixty-two percent of Texas cases are Gaines County, a population of 22,892, and the virus has begun to spread in close, subtle Mennonite communities. The county has recorded 371 cases since late January. It exceeds 1% of the county’s residents.
Texas’ death on April 3rd was an eight-year-old child. According to Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the health officials’ health secretary at the heart of his health, and the child died of “child doctors called measles lung disorders.” A child who was not vaccinated without underlying conditions died of measles in Texas in late February. Kennedy said he was six years old.
New Mexico announced five new cases this week, bringing the state’s total to 63. Three more people were in the hospital this week. Most of the state’s cases are in Lee County. The two are in Eddie County, one in Chaves and one in Donyaana County.
State health officials say the incident is linked to a Texas outbreak based on genetic testing. New Mexico reported its first measles-related death in an adult on March 6th.
Measles is a highly contagious airborne disease caused by a virus that can lead to severe complications and death.
How many cases are there in Kansas?
Kansas has filed 37 cases in eight counties in the southwestern part of the state, health officials announced Wednesday.
Fewer than five counties each in Finney, Ford, Grant, Gray and Morton. Haskell County has the most cases, seven in Stephens County and six in Kiowa County.
The state’s first reported cases identified in Stevens County on March 13 are linked to the Texas and New Mexico outbreak based on genetic testing, a spokesperson for the state’s health department said. However, health officials have not decided how the person was exposed.
How many cases are there in Oklahoma?
Oklahoma cases remained stable on Friday with a total of 12 cases. There are nine confirmed cases, and there are three possible cases. The first two lawsuits were “related” to the West Texas and New Mexico outbreak, the state health department said.
A spokesperson for the state health department said measles exposures have been confirmed in Oklahoma City and Tulsa, Rogers and Custer counties, but said that none of the counties had said the lawsuit was filed.
How many cases are there in Ohio?
The Ohio Department of Health confirmed the state’s 30 measles cases on Thursday. State counties only include Ohio residents.
There are 14 cases in Ashtabra County near Cleveland, with 14 cases in Knox County and one each in Allen and Holmes County, the state said. The outbreak in Ashtabula County began with unvaccinated adults who were interacting with international travelers.
Health officials in Knox County, Eastern and Central Ohio say there are a total of 20 measles, seven of which do not live in Ohio. In 2022, the outbreak of measles in central Ohio reached 85.
Dr. Diego Hijano, a pediatric infection expert at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, answers questions about how MMR vaccines can protect children from measles.
How many cases are there in Indiana?
Indiana has confirmed six connected cases of measles in Allen County, the state’s northeastern part of the state. Four are minors who have been vaccinated, and two are adults whose vaccination status is unknown. The Allen County Department of Health said the incident did not have a known link to other occurrences, according to April 9.
How many cases are there in Pennsylvania?
In northwest Pennsylvania, Erie County health officials declared measles outbreaks on Monday after discovering two new cases related to the measles incident on March 30th.
The state has nine cases throughout this year, six of which are not related to outbreaks, including international travel-related cases in Montgomery County and Philadelphia.
How many cases are there in Michigan?
Montcalm County, near Grand Rapids in western Michigan, has three linked measles cases. Provincial health officials say the incident has been linked to a major measles outbreak in Ontario, Canada.
The state has seven confirmed measles cases as of Thursday, but the remaining four are not part of the Montcalm County outbreak. Michigan’s last measles outbreak was in 2019.
Where do measles appear in the US?
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the US, there were 800 cases in 2025, defined as 10 clusters (three or more related cases).
Cases of measles have been reported in Alaska, California, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Kentucky, Maryland, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Vermont and Washington.
Cases and outbreaks in the US are often traced to people who have suffered illnesses overseas. In 2019, the US saw 1,274 cases and lost its position of eliminating measles.
What do you need to know about the MMR vaccine?
The best way to avoid measles is to get a measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine. The first shot is recommended for children between 12-15 months and 4-6 years old.
According to the CDC, if you are concerned about the decline in your immune system, it is harmless to acquire another MMR shot. Those with documents that they would receive a live measles vaccine in the 1960s don’t need to recalculate, but those who have been vaccinated with an ineffective measles vaccine created from a virus that was “killed” before 1968 must recalculate at least one dose.
Those with documents that they have measles are immune, and those born before 1957 generally do not need a shot.
In communities with high vaccination rates, diseases like measles struggle to spread to communities, over 95%. This is called “swar immunity.”
However, childhood vaccination rates have fallen nationwide as the pandemic and more parents advocate for exemptions of religious or personal conscience to exempt children from the necessary shots. The US saw an increase in measles incidents in 2024. This included more than 60 outbreaks in Chicago.
What are the symptoms of measles?
Measles first infects the airways and then spreads throughout the body, causing high fever, runny nose, cough, red, watery eyes and rashes.
The rash generally appears 3-5 days after the initial symptoms, beginning as a flat red spot on the face and spreads below the neck, trunk, arms, legs and feet. If the rash appears, the fever can skyrocket or higher than 104 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the CDC.
Most children recover from measles, but infections can lead to dangerous complications such as pneumonia, blindness, swelling of the brain, and death.
How can you treat measles?
There is no specific treatment for measles, so doctors generally relieve symptoms, prevent complications, and keep patients comfortable.
AP Science Writer Laura Ungar contributed to this report.
The Associated Press School of Health Sciences is supported by the Howard Hughes Medical Institution’s Science and Education Media Group and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. AP is solely responsible for all content.
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