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U.S. Faces Largest Measles Outbreak in Decades with 483 Cases Across 20 States

Texas remains the epicenter with 400 cases, as public health officials push vaccination efforts to combat the rapid spread and prevent further fatalities.

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One-year-old River Jacobs is held by his mother, Caitlin Fuller, while he receives an MMR vaccine from Raynard Covarrubio, at a vaccine clinic put on by Lubbock Public Health Department on March 1 in Lubbock, Texas. Bay Area health officials last week reported the region’s first confirmed measles case of the year. The case in San Mateo County, detected in February, was linked to an international traveler.  
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SEMINOLE, TEXAS - FEBRUARY 27: Signs point the way to measles testing in the parking lot of the Seminole Hospital District across from Wigwam Stadium on February 27, 2025 in Seminole, Texas. (Photo by Jan Sonnenmair / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP)

Overview

  • The U.S. has reported 483 confirmed measles cases in 2025, surpassing the total cases from the previous five years combined, with Texas accounting for 400 cases.
  • Two deaths have been confirmed: a school-aged child in Texas and an adult in New Mexico, both unvaccinated.
  • The outbreak has spread to 20 states, with significant clusters in New Mexico, Kansas, and Oklahoma, and genetic links traced to Texas cases.
  • The CDC and WHO emphasize the importance of the MMR vaccine, which is 97% effective, as misinformation and declining vaccination rates contribute to the outbreak.
  • International travel has been identified as a key factor in the spread, prompting the WHO to issue a travel advisory urging up-to-date vaccinations.