U.S. measles cases exceed 2024 total only three months into the year

The number of measles cases in the U.S. this year has exceeded the total recorded in 2024, according to data from state health departments and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

As of Tuesday, 287 measles cases have been reported nationwide, surpassing the 2024 total of 285 and making 2025 the year with the highest number of reported cases since 2019.

A significant portion of this year’s cases are linked to a large outbreak that began in January in West Texas and has since spread to New Mexico and Oklahoma. The outbreak has accounted for 258 cases, representing 90% of all reported measles cases in the U.S. this year.

At least two deaths have been associated with the outbreak in the Southwest. The first, confirmed in Texas, was an unvaccinated school-aged child in Lubbock. The second, currently under investigation in New Mexico, involved a resident who tested positive for measles posthumously.

Beyond the Southwest, measles cases have been confirmed in Alaska, California, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, and Washington.

On Tuesday, 34 new cases were reported nationwide, with the majority (30) linked to the Southwest outbreak. Two cases were confirmed in California, including the first this year in both Los Angeles County and Fresno County. Vermont also reported its first case, while New York confirmed its first case outside of New York City in Suffolk County.

CDC data released last Thursday indicated that the majority of cases have been in children and teenagers under 19, who account for 79% of all infections. At least 38 individuals have been hospitalized, including 21 children under five. The data also showed that 94% of cases involved individuals who were either unvaccinated or whose vaccination status was unknown.

Measles is a highly contagious respiratory illness that can cause severe complications, especially in unvaccinated individuals. According to health officials, one in five people infected during an outbreak requires hospitalization, and one in 20 develops pneumonia. In rare cases, measles can lead to brain swelling and death.

The virus spreads through direct contact with infectious droplets or airborne transmission when an infected person breathes, coughs, or sneezes. Symptoms typically appear one to two weeks after exposure, beginning with a high fever, cough, runny nose, and red, watery eyes. A few days later, the characteristic measles rash develops, starting on the face and spreading downward across the body.