What to learn about measles outbreaks now in six states

With one-fifth of states seeing lively measles outbreaks, the U.S. is nearing 900 circumstances, in response to figures posted Friday by the U.S. Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention.

The CDC’s confirmed measles circumstances depend is 884, triple the quantity seen in all of 2024. The overwhelming majority — 646 — are in Texas, the place an outbreak within the western a part of the state that’s approaching the three-month mark.

Two unvaccinated elementary school-aged kids died from measles-related diseases in the epicenter in West Texas, and an grownup in New Mexico who was not vaccinated died of a measles-related sickness.

Different states with lively outbreaks — outlined as three or extra circumstances — embody Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Montana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Tennessee.

North America has two different ongoing outbreaks. One in Ontario, Canada, has resulted in 1,020 circumstances from mid-October by way of Wednesday. And as of Friday, the Mexican state of Chihuahua state had 605 measles circumstances, in response to information from the state well being ministry. The World Well being Group has mentioned circumstances 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 individual breathes, sneezes or coughs. It’s preventable by way of vaccines, and has been thought-about eradicated from the U.S. since 2000.

Because the virus takes maintain in different U.S. communities with low vaccination charges, well being specialists worry the virus that the unfold might stretch on for a yr. Right here’s what else you have to learn about measles within the U.S.

What number of measles circumstances are there in Texas and New Mexico?

Texas state well being officers mentioned Friday there have been 22 new circumstances of measles since Tuesday, bringing the overall to 646 throughout 26 counties — most of them in West Texas. Hospitalizations had been regular Friday at 64 all through the outbreak.

State well being officers estimated about 1% of circumstances — fewer than 10 — are actively infectious.

Sixty-one p.c of Texas’ circumstances are in Gaines County, inhabitants 22,892, the place the virus began spreading in a close-knit, undervaccinated Mennonite neighborhood. The county has had 393 circumstances since late January — simply over 1.5% of the county’s residents.

The April 3 demise in Texas was an 8-year-old baby, in response to Well being Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Well being officers in Texas mentioned the kid didn’t have underlying well being situations and died of “what the kid’s physician described as measles pulmonary failure.” A unvaccinated baby with no underlying situations died of measles in Texas in late February — Kennedy mentioned age 6.

New Mexico introduced one new case Friday, bringing the state’s whole to 66. Seven folks have been hospitalized because the outbreak began. A lot of the state’s circumstances are in Lea County. Three are in Eddy County and Chaves and Doña Ana counties have one every.

State well being officers say the circumstances are linked to Texas’ outbreak based mostly on genetic testing. New Mexico reported a measles-related demise in an grownup on March 6.

What number of circumstances are there in Indiana?

Indiana confirmed two extra circumstances Monday in an outbreak that has sickened eight in Allen County within the northeast a part of the state — 5 are unvaccinated minors and three are adults whose vaccination standing is unknown. The circumstances don’t have any identified hyperlink to different outbreaks, the Allen County Division of Well being mentioned Monday.

What number of circumstances are there in Kansas?

Kansas was regular this week with 37 circumstances in eight counties within the southwest a part of the state. Finney, Ford, Grant, Grey and Morton counties have fewer than 5 circumstances every. Haskell County has essentially the most with eight circumstances, Stevens County has seven, Kiowa County has six.

The state’s first reported case, recognized in Stevens County on March 13, is linked to the Texas outbreak based mostly on genetic testing.

What number of circumstances are there in Michigan?

Montcalm County, close to Grand Rapids in western Michigan, has 4 linked measles circumstances. State well being officers say the circumstances are tied to Canada’s massive outbreak in Ontario. The state has 9 confirmed measles circumstances as of Friday, however the remaining 4 should not a part of the Montcalm County outbreak.

What number of circumstances are there in Montana?

Montana state well being officers introduced 5 circumstances Thursday in unvaccinated kids and adults who had traveled out of state, and confirmed it was an outbreak on Monday. All 5 are isolating at house in Gallatin County within the southwest a part of the state.

They’re Montana’s first measles circumstances in 35 years. Well being officers didn’t say whether or not the circumstances are linked to different outbreaks in North America.

What number of circumstances are there in Ohio?

The Ohio Division of Well being confirmed 32 measles circumstances within the state Thursday, and one hospitalization. The state depend contains solely Ohio residents. There are 16 circumstances in Ashtabula County close to Cleveland, 14 in Knox County and one every in Allen and Holmes counties.

Well being officers in Knox County, in east-central Ohio, mentioned there are a complete of 20 folks with measles, however seven of them don’t dwell within the state.

What number of circumstances are there in Oklahoma?

Oklahoma was regular Friday with 13 circumstances: 10 confirmed and three possible. The primary two possible circumstances had been “related” with the West Texas and New Mexico outbreaks, the state well being division mentioned. The state well being division shouldn’t be releasing which counties have circumstances, however Cleveland, Custer and Oklahoma counties have had public exposures previously couple of months.

What number of circumstances are there in Pennsylvania?

There are eight measles circumstances in Erie County in far northwest Pennsylvania, officers mentioned Friday. The county declared an outbreak in mid-April. The state mentioned Friday it has 13 circumstances total in 2025, together with worldwide travel-related circumstances in Montgomery County and one in Philadelphia.

What number of circumstances are there in Tennessee?

Tennessee has six measles circumstances as of Thursday. Well being division spokesman Invoice Christian mentioned all circumstances are the center a part of the state, and that “not less than three of those circumstances are linked to one another” however declined to specify additional. The state additionally didn’t say whether or not the circumstances had been linked to different outbreaks or when Tennessee’s outbreak began.

The state well being division introduced the state’s first measles case March 21, three extra on April 1 and the final two on April 17, however not one of the information releases declared an outbreak. Tennessee is on a listing of outbreak states in a Thursday CDC report.

The place else is measles displaying up within the U.S.?

There have been 884 circumstances in 2025 as of Friday, in response to the CDC. Measles circumstances even have been reported in Alaska, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia and Washington.

Instances and outbreaks within the U.S. are steadily traced to somebody who caught the illness overseas. In 2019, the U.S. noticed 1,274 circumstances and nearly misplaced its standing of getting eradicated measles.

What do it’s good to know in regards to the MMR vaccine?

One of the best ways to keep away from measles is to get the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine. The primary shot is beneficial for kids between 12 and 15 months outdated and the second between 4 and 6 years outdated.

Getting one other MMR shot is innocent if there are issues about waning immunity, the CDC says. Individuals who have documentation of receiving a dwell measles vaccine within the Sixties don’t should be revaccinated, however individuals who had been immunized earlier than 1968 with an ineffective measles vaccine created from “killed” virus ought to be revaccinated with not less than one dose, the company mentioned.

Individuals who have documentation that they’d measles are immune and people born earlier than 1957 typically don’t want the pictures as a result of most kids again then had measles and now have “presumptive immunity.”

In communities with excessive vaccination charges — above 95% — ailments like measles have a more durable time spreading by way of communities. That is known as “herd immunity.”

However childhood vaccination charges have declined nationwide because the pandemic and extra mother and father are claiming non secular 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.

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, purple, watery eyes and a rash.

The rash typically seems three to 5 days after the primary signs, starting as flat purple 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, in response to the CDC.

Most youngsters will recuperate from measles, however an infection can result in harmful problems resembling pneumonia, blindness, mind swelling and demise.

How will you deal with measles?

There’s no particular remedy for measles, so medical doctors typically attempt to alleviate signs, stop problems and maintain sufferers snug.

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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.