There are currently up to nearly 300 measles outbreaks in western Texas and New Mexico, with two unvaccinated people dead from measles-related causes.
Measles is caused by a highly contagious virus that is in the air and easily spreads when an infected person breathes, sneezes or coughs. It is preventable through vaccines and is considered to have been excluded from the United States since 2000.
Here’s what you need to know about measles in the US
Texas health officials have had 36 new cases of measles since Tuesday on Friday, bringing a total of 259 in Texas. A total of 34 people were hospitalized, five more. The outbreak spread across two new counties.
New Mexico health officials announced two new cases on Friday, bringing the state’s total to 35. Most of the cases are in Lee County, where the two are hospitalized. Eddie County has two cases.
The Oklahoma State Department of Health reported two possible measles cases on Tuesday, saying it was “related” to the West Texas and New Mexico outbreak.
New Mexico reported the first measles-related death in adults last week after a school-age child died of measles in Texas last month.
Measles cases have also been reported in Alaska, California, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Vermont.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in the US defines an outbreak as three or more related cases. There were also three clusters that were recognized as outbreaks in 2025.
In the US, cases and outbreaks are generally traced to people who have suffered illnesses overseas. It could then spread, especially in communities with low vaccination rates.
The best way to avoid measles is to get a measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine. The first shot is recommended for children between 12-15 months and 4-6 years old.
People at high risk of infection who got shots years ago may want to consider getting a booster if they live in an area where they are experiencing it, said Scott Weaver of the United Nations Global Virus Network. They may include people with measles or families who live with people who are particularly vulnerable to respiratory illnesses due to underlying medical conditions.
Adults with “presumed evidence of immunity” generally do not require a shot of measles, the CDC said. Standards include appropriate vaccinations early in life, laboratory confirmation of past infections, or written documents of birth before 1957, where most people are likely to be infected naturally.
Doctors can order a lab test called MMR titers to check the level of measles antibodies, but health experts do not always recommend this route. Insurance coverage may vary.
According to the CDC, if you are concerned about the decline in your immune system, it is harmless to acquire another MMR shot.
Those with documents that they would receive a live measles vaccine in the 1960s don’t need to recalculate, but those who have been vaccinated with an ineffective measles vaccine created from a virus that was “killed” before 1968 must recalculate at least one dose. That includes people who don’t know which type they’ve got.
Measles first infects the airways and then spreads throughout the body, causing high fever, runny nose, cough, red, watery eyes and rashes.
The rash generally appears 3-5 days after the initial symptoms, starting as a flat red spot on the face and spreads below the neck, trunk, arms, legs and feet. If a rash appears, the fever can skyrocket or higher than 104 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the CDC.
Most children recover from measles, but infection can lead to dangerous complications such as pneumonia, blindness, swelling of the brain, and death.
There is no specific treatment for measles, so doctors generally relieve symptoms, prevent complications, and keep patients comfortable.
In communities with high vaccination rates, diseases like measles struggle to spread to communities, over 95%. This is called “swar immunity.”
However, childhood vaccination rates have fallen nationwide as the pandemic and more parents advocate for exemptions of religious or personal conscience to exempt children from the necessary shots.
In the US, measles cases increased in 2024. This included more than 60 outbreaks in Chicago that led to illness.
