Ohio health officials confirm 10 cases in new measles outbreak

Health officials in Ohio have declared a measles outbreak after confirming nine new cases connected to the state’s first confirmed case reported last week. All individuals affected in the outbreak are unvaccinated.

Ohio Department of Health Director Dr. Bruce Vanderhoff confirmed that 10 cases have now been identified in Ashtabula County, located east of Cleveland near the Pennsylvania border. The official also reported a separate, unrelated case involving an international traveler in Knox County.

The outbreak is linked to an adult male, who was reported last week as the first confirmed measles case in the state this year.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) defines a measles outbreak as three or more related cases. As of last Friday, the CDC had reported three measles outbreaks in the United States so far in 2025.

“Given the measles activity in Texas, New Mexico, and other states around the country, we’re disappointed but not surprised we now have several cases here in Ohio and known exposure in some counties,” said Dr. Vanderhoff. “This disease can be very serious, even deadly, but it is almost entirely avoidable by being properly vaccinated.”

The Knox County case, confirmed on Monday and reported today, involves an international visitor who has since completed their isolation period and is no longer infectious, according to Knox Public Health. Officials are currently working to identify potential contacts.

The outbreak in Ohio comes as part of a broader resurgence of measles in the United States. As of Wednesday, at least 456 cases have been reported nationwide this year, with most tied to a large outbreak in West Texas.

That outbreak has since expanded to New Mexico and Oklahoma, and potentially Kansas, where health officials on Wednesday confirmed a total of 23 measles cases in the state’s southwest region. Genetic sequencing suggests a possible connection to the Texas-led outbreak.

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.