US Measles Cases at an All-Time High After Disease 'Eliminated'
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The United States is experiencing its worst measles outbreak since the disease was declared "eliminated" in 2000, with 1,277 confirmed cases reported as of July 5, according to Johns Hopkins University Center for Outbreak Response Innovation.
This figure has already surpassed the 1,274 cases recorded during the peak year of 2019, marking a critical public health milestone reached just halfway through 2025.
Why It Matters
This outbreak directly challenges the nation's measles elimination status, achieved 25 years ago through sustained vaccination efforts. Measles ranks among the most contagious infectious diseases, with 92 percent of unvaccinated people contracting the virus upon exposure.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that one in five infected individuals requires hospitalization, making this outbreak a significant strain on health care systems across multiple states.
The resurgence occurs amid declining childhood vaccination rates nationwide since the COVID-19 pandemic, with increasing numbers of parents claiming religious or personal conscience exemptions. Communities require vaccination rates above 95 percent to maintain "herd immunity" and prevent widespread transmission.
What To Know
The outbreak has resulted in at least 155 hospitalizations, affecting 431 adults and 824 children, with three confirmed deaths. Two elementary school-aged children died in West Texas, while one adult died in New Mexico—all were unvaccinated. The CDC confirmed that 1,267 cases were officially reported through their surveillance system as of Wednesday.
The majority of cases stem from a large outbreak originating in West Texas, where 753 confirmed cases have been reported across 36 counties since January. Gaines County remains the epicenter, with 55 percent of Texas cases concentrated in this area after the virus spread through a close-knit, undervaccinated Mennonite community.
Some critics say Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s efforts to contain the epidemic in the tight-knit, religious West Texas community ran counter to established public health strategies used to end past epidemics.
"The hyperpartisanship we're experiencing, coupled with the de-prioritization of policy expertise, is leading to profound divides in trust in agencies and health recommendations, and this trust will be difficult to rebuild, especially as we see the continued hollowing out of the public health bureaucracy," Miranda Yaver, assistant professor of health policy and management at the University of Pittsburgh, previously told Newsweek.
Confirmed measles cases have been reported by 39 states and jurisdictions, with Texas, New Mexico, and Kansas showing the highest concentrations. Active outbreaks, defined as three or more related cases, are occurring in Arizona, Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, and Utah. Kentucky reported its first outbreak of 2025 last month.
Symptoms appear seven to 14 days after virus contact, typically including high fever, cough, runny nose, and watery eyes. The characteristic rash appears three to five days after initial symptoms, often accompanied by fever spikes exceeding 104 degrees. Koplik's spots—tiny white spots inside the mouth—may appear two to three days after symptoms begin.
What People Are Saying
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. confirmed the Texas deaths: "The April 3 death was an 8-year-old child" and "a 6-year-old unvaccinated child with no underlying conditions died of measles in Texas in late February."
U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention emphasized prevention: "The best way to avoid measles is to get the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine. The first shot is recommended for children between 12 and 15 months old and the second between 4 and 6 years old."
Dr. Mathew Kiang, assistant professor in the Department of Epidemiology and Population Health at Stanford University, said in an April statement: "With measles, we found that we're already on the precipice of disaster. If vaccination rates remain the same, the model predicts that measles may become endemic within about 20 years."
Lara Anton, a spokesperson for the Texas Department of State Health Services, previously told Newsweek: "[Texas Department of State Health Services] DSHS has been encouraging people to get vaccinated if they are not immune to measles because it is the best way to prevent illness and stop the virus from spreading."
Miranda Yaver, an assistant professor of health policy and management at the University of Pittsburgh, previously told Newsweek: "We now have over 1,000 confirmed measles cases in the United States, and this is avoidable with vaccination, which we know to be safe and effective. We are seeing the proliferation of vaccine hesitancy, with a pronounced partisan split, extending well beyond the COVID vaccine."
A measles advisory is shown tacked to a bulletin board outside Gaines County Courthouse on April 9 in Seminole, Texas.
A measles advisory is shown tacked to a bulletin board outside Gaines County Courthouse on April 9 in Seminole, Texas.What Happens Next
Public health authorities are intensifying vaccination campaigns and contact tracing efforts across affected states. Several states have successfully contained earlier outbreaks, including Indiana, Ohio, and Pennsylvania, after six weeks without new cases, demonstrating effective containment strategies.
The outbreak's trajectory depends on vaccination uptake in affected communities and successful isolation of infectious cases. Health officials continue monitoring international travel patterns, as the CDC reported more than twice as many measles cases originated from international travel compared to the same period last year.
Reporting from the Associated Press contributed to this article.
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