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Measles Outbreak Escalates Across North America, Surpassing 1,500 Cases

Ontario and Texas are epicenters of the crisis, with fatalities and rising hospitalizations highlighting vaccination gaps.

A measles advisory is shown tacked to a bulletin board outside Gaines County Courthouse on April 09, 2025 in Seminole, Texas. A second confirmed measles-related death has been reported in the city of Lubbock amidst an ongoing outbreak which began in late January. As of early April, the Texas Department of State Health Services has confirmed more than 500 cases within 22 counties, ranging from the South Plains toward the Panhandle.
PHOENIX, ARIZONA - DECEMBER 20: Independent Presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. speaks during a campaign rally at Legends Event Center on December 20, 2023 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Rebecca Noble/Getty Images)
An information booth for measles vaccinations offered by Harris County Public Health is photographed on Saturday, April 5, 2025 in Houston. The measles outbreak centered in the South Plains region of Texas grew to 541 cases across the state on Friday, according to health officials.
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Overview

  • Ontario has reported 816 measles cases, including 155 new infections in the past week, with 61 hospitalizations, primarily among unvaccinated children.
  • In the U.S., confirmed cases have reached 712 across 24 states, with Texas accounting for 541 cases and two child fatalities.
  • Public health officials in Texas and Ontario are intensifying vaccination campaigns as immunization gaps drive the spread of the disease.
  • The outbreaks have prompted travel advisories, including one from New York state urging residents to vaccinate before traveling to Ontario.
  • Experts warn that the U.S. risks losing its measles elimination status due to the rapid spread and continued importation of cases.