Overview

• The United States has reported 1,168 measles cases across 32 states this year, with 12% of patients hospitalized and three confirmed deaths.
• A patient with confirmed measles visited Boston on June 7–8, potentially exposing visitors at the Westin Boston Seaport District, the Museum of Fine Arts Boston and Logan Airport Terminal C before flying to Miami.
• The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and state health agencies are conducting contact tracing, working with airlines to notify at-risk passengers and advising unvaccinated individuals to monitor symptoms for 21 days and avoid public settings.
• Health experts attribute the outbreak to declining MMR vaccination rates, noting Colorado kindergarten immunization dipped to 88% last year and travel-related cases from Mexico, Turkey and other countries.
• The MMR vaccine is about 97% effective after two doses, and measles can cause serious complications—such as pneumonia or brain swelling—in roughly 30% of infections.