A total of 800 measles cases and 10 outbreaks were reported in the United States during the first 16 weeks of 2025, representing approximately a 180% increase over the 285 measles cases reported in the United States during all of 2024. Most cases have been associated with an ongoing outbreak in close-knit communities with low vaccination coverage in New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas. [CDC]

Overall, 11% of measles patients have been hospitalized, and three deaths have been reported. Similar to previous years (1), nearly all (96%) cases occurred in persons who were unvaccinated or whose vaccination status was unknown, and 77% of cases occurred in persons who were unvaccinated when excluding cases reported by Texas. Most (92%) imported cases occurred among U.S. residents returning to the United States while infectious and from all six World Health Organization regions. Adherence to standard measles control measures, including isolation and quarantine, as well as high vaccination coverage locally, prevented secondary transmission from most of these persons who were infectious after returning from travel abroad.

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