U.S. Measles Outbreak Reaches 483 Cases, Texas at Epicenter

Low vaccination rates and misinformation fuel the largest U.S. measles outbreak in years, with two confirmed deaths and cases spreading across 19 states.

• Texas remains the epicenter with 400 confirmed cases, accounting for over 80% of the nationwide total.
• The outbreak has resulted in two deaths, one in Texas and one under investigation in New Mexico, alongside 70 hospitalizations, primarily affecting unvaccinated children.
• The virus has spread to 19 states, including new outbreaks in Ohio and Kansas, and has been linked to cases in Mexico, raising concerns about international transmission.
• Public health officials are ramping up vaccination campaigns, but efforts are hindered by misinformation and resource limitations, particularly in areas with low immunization rates.
• Measles, declared eliminated in the U.S. in 2000, has resurged due to declining vaccination rates, with kindergarten immunization levels now below the 95% threshold needed for herd immunity.

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