- The growing measles outbreak in the U.S. has reached 378 confirmed cases, surpassing the total number of cases in 2024.
- The CDC issued a measles advisory for travelers and healthcare professionals as experts continue to urge vaccination against the disease.
- High vaccination rates help protect those who can’t be vaccinated due to medical treatments or compromised immune systems.
More states have reported measles amid a growing outbreak amid vaccine misinformation and ongoing hesitancy.
As of March 20, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported
That’s more than the 285 measles cases reported in all of 2024.
Of the cases reported in 2025 so far, 283 are in young adults and children under the age of 20. CDC officials have attributed 341 cases to three different outbreaks in the country.
Texas had the most cases, with 327 reported as of March 21. New Mexico had the second-highest number, with 43 cases.
The CDC added that 95% of all cases are in unvaccinated people or whose vaccination status is unknown.
So far, 64 of the cases have resulted in hospitalization. One death from measles has been confirmed, that being an unvaccinated child in Lubbock, TX. The death of a person who had measles and was unvaccinated is under investigation in Lea County, NM.
However, the spread of measles isn’t limited to the United States.
An analysis by the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF states that there were more than 127,000 measles cases in Europe in 2024. That’s double the number recorded in 2023 in that region, which includes 53 countries in Europe and Central Asia. It’s also the highest number of cases recorded since 1997.
More than half of the European cases required hospitalization, and 38 deaths were reported in the region. The report noted that nearly 360,000 measles cases were reported worldwide in 2024.
The measles spread has prompted the CDC to issue an
In it, the CDC
They add that physicians should consider measles a possible diagnosis in anyone with a temperature above 101 degrees Fahrenheit and/or a rash or cough who has traveled internationally or domestically to a region with a measles outbreak.
They advise travelers to make sure they are fully vaccinated before heading to their destinations. They add that travelers should monitor themselves for 3 weeks after returning for any
“Measles is a highly contagious disease that can turn deadly,” said Anne Liu, MD, a clinical associate professor of pediatrics immunology and allergy at Stanford University. “People who are unvaccinated and people who are immunocompromised should be quite concerned about the growing footprint of this outbreak.”
Experts say the reason measles is spreading so quickly is simple: it’s one of the
“It’s unbelievably contagious. It’s the most contagious disease we’ve ever seen,” said Danelle Fisher, MD, a pediatrician at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, CA.
She noted that people with measles can be contagious 4 days before symptoms emerge and 7 to 10 days afterward.
William Schaffner, MD, an infectious disease specialist and a professor of medicine at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee, notes that vaccines are the only protection against measles.
“Vaccination is the way to prevent measles. There are no other ways. Although it has been in the news recently, vitamin A cannot prevent measles,” Schaffner told Healthline.
Fisher agreed. She said people who have had the disease or are fully vaccinated don’t have much to worry about.
“You’re not going to get sick and you’re not going to spread it,” she told Healthline.
On the other hand, people who are unvaccinated or whose immunity has waned over the years are at significantly higher risk.
Fisher said people in these categories should view measles much like the world viewed COVID-19 in 2020 before vaccines against that disease were available.
In fact, Fisher said if there weren’t a measles vaccine, the current outbreak would probably spread around the globe in just a few weeks.
“Vaccinations are the reason this is not spreading even more,” she said.
Fisher urged parents to ensure that children have received their recommended vaccines. She also recommended that adults who are unvaccinated or are unsure about their vaccination status get immunized.
She said the vaccines not only protect an individual but also children and adults who can’t get vaccinated due to medical treatments or compromised immune systems.
“It’s incumbent on all of us to protect the most vulnerable in our society,” Fisher said.
Schaffner agreed. “There are many children and adults living among us who are immunocompromised. If they were to contract measles, they would get very sick,” he said. “We all protect them by being vaccinated and creating a ‘cocoon’ of protection around them, making it difficult for the virus to get past us to find them.”
Experts say there are precautions you can take in addition to vaccines to lower your risk of contracting measles.
Fisher cautioned unvaccinated people from taking planes, trains, or any other form of mass transportation. She said this group should only consider essential travel.
She added that you can also make adjustments at your job to lower the number of people you come into contact with. People who work at or visit schools or healthcare facilities should take extra precautions.
In addition, Fisher advised everyone to be cautious around anyone with a cough or other symptoms of measles.
“Be very wary of anyone with any kind of upper respiratory illness,” she said.
Even going to the grocery store might be risky for those who aren’t vaccinated.
“As this outbreak spreads, the areas of safety are going to get smaller and smaller,” Fisher said.
Measles caused more than 3 million illnesses annually in the U.S. before the vaccine became widely available in the mid-1950s. Those cases resulted in 48,000 hospitalizations and 500 deaths annually.
The CDC
The virus is transmitted through the air or by direct contact with a surface that has droplets that contain the virus.
Symptoms will usually appear within 14 days. Those symptoms include:
- widespread skin rash
- high fever
- cough
- sore throat
About 30% of measles cases lead to some form of complication, the most common being ear infections and diarrhea. Serious complications are rare, but they include:
Liu said there is also a long-term consequence to measles.
“One of the lesser-known features of measles is that it can wipe out part of a person’s immune memory from prior infections, leaving them vulnerable to infections they have previously had and successfully battled,” she told Healthline.
“These are preventable illnesses,” Liu added, urging the importance of vaccination. “Many people are being hospitalized for measles because of the severity of their illness, not for quarantining purposes.”
Schaffner agreed that measles should not be taken lightly.
“The public should be aware of the current measles situation,” he said. “Stay informed and make sure that you and your family are fully vaccinated against measles. If you have friends whom you know are not vaccinating their children, urge them to speak with their doctor about their concerns. Reach out and make them feel comfortable that vaccination is best for their family and for the entire community. We’re all in this together.”
Measles cases in the United States in 2025 reached 378 as of March 20. That’s more than the number of cases reported in all of 2024.
The largest outbreak this year has been in Texas, where 327 cases have been confirmed.
Officials at the CDC say 95% of the cases nationwide are in unvaccinated people or whose vaccination status is unknown.
Experts say fully vaccinated people will not get sick from the disease, nor will they spread it. They urge parents to ensure their children have received the two recommended doses of the MMR vaccine.
