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Measles Outbreak Surges in US, Canada and UK as Vaccination Rates Fall

Health agencies are intensifying vaccination campaigns to restore herd immunity in response to a resurgence not seen in decades.

2025 US measles outbreak
Doctor holding vaccine injection
FILE – Health department staff members enter the Andrews County Health Department measles clinic carrying doses of the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine, Tuesday, April 8, 2025, in Andrews, Texas. (AP Photo/Annie Rice, File)
Four-month-old Kimie Fukuta-Birch of Fort Saskatchewan, Alta., seen in this undated handout photo, was diagnosed with measles. Her mother, Morgan Birch, says she feared the worst for her daughter. While Kimie has now recovered, Birch says she faces a long road to recovery. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Handout — Morgan Birch (Mandatory Credit)

Overview

  • The US has recorded 1,309 measles cases as of July 15, with Texas reporting 762 cases, three deaths and a 13% hospitalization rate.
  • Ninety-two percent of US cases involve unvaccinated or unknown-status individuals, reflecting a drop in MMR coverage to 92.7 percent among kindergartners.
  • Major North American hotspots include 2,966 cases in Chihuahua, Mexico; 2,223 in Ontario, Canada; and 1,246 in Alberta, Canada, highlighting cross-border transmission.
  • The UK has confirmed 529 cases in 2025 and its first childhood measles fatality since 2016, with Salford among the worst-affected council areas.
  • Public health authorities are stepping up outreach and counter-misinformation efforts to protect elimination status and curb further spread.