Measles cases hit 25-year high in the US: Symptoms and risk zones explained
Measles, a highly contagious viral disease has overtaken the lives of many in the US, sweeping across states over a period of a few months. From the beginning of the outbreak on July 1 to now, a total of 1,267 cases of measles have been confirmed in 38 states so far, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Of those infected, 155 have been hospitalised and three deaths have been documented in New Mexico and Texas.
This is the highest number of measles cases in a single year since the country declared measles eliminated in 2000. Additionally, the number of cases is triple that of the amount reported in all of 2024 and the second-highest annual case count in the US in 25 years.
What is Measles?
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Measles is a highly contagious respiratory disease that spreads easily through coughing or sneezing.
According to the CDC, the virus can remain in the air even after the infected person has left the premises. Persian physician Rhazes was the one to give the first clinical description of the disease in the 10th century. The disease is a morbillivirus also responsible for rinderpest and epidemic diseases of dolphins, porpoises and seals.
What are the symptoms of Measles?
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According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the symptoms of measles usually begin 7 to 14 days after the infection.
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It begins with a high fever which may spike more than 104 degrees, cough, runny nose, and red, watery eyes. 2-3 days after the symptoms appear tiny white spots appear inside the mouth and 3-5 days later the measles rash appears on the face and moves down to the neck, arms, legs and feet.
What are the risk zones for Measles spread?
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The most affected area in the United States with measles is Texas which accounts for about 2 of 3 reported infections. Other high-risk areas are New Mexico, Kansas, Ohio, North Dakota, Montana, Michigan, California, Oklahoma, Colorado, Utah, Illinois, Iowa, Colorado, Georgia, and New York.
92% of the cases reported in the states in 2025 are among people who have not received the MMR vaccine for measles or have an unknown vaccination status. According to a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, 2,066 counties across the US have reported a 78% decline in vaccination rates of measles, mumps and rubella after the COVID-19 pandemic. If this continues, the disease is likely to return to endemic levels, said the study.
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