LOS ANGELES– Measles cases in the United States have surged to their highest level in more than three decades, according to the latest data released by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
So far in 2025, a total of 1,288 measles cases have been confirmed across 38 states, with 13 percent of those cases resulting in hospitalization. This marks the worst year for measles in the U.S. since 1992, when 2,126 cases were recorded.
Texas has been hit particularly hard, accounting for 753 of the confirmed cases, according to the CDC.
The agency reported 27 outbreaks this year, with 88 percent of all confirmed cases linked to outbreak clusters. Additionally, 92 percent of those infected were either unvaccinated or had an unknown vaccination status.
Although measles was declared eliminated from the United States in 2000—meaning the virus was no longer spreading domestically—new cases continue to emerge, primarily through travelers returning from countries where measles is still widespread.
Measles is an airborne, highly contagious, and potentially severe illness that causes symptoms such as high fever, cough, runny nose, and a widespread rash. It mainly affects children but can infect anyone, especially those who are unvaccinated.
Before the introduction of the measles vaccine in 1963, the disease caused major epidemics every two to three years, leading to an estimated 2.6 million deaths globally each year. In the U.S. alone, measles was responsible for approximately 48,000 hospitalizations and 400 to 500 deaths annually.
The CDC and World Health Organization (WHO) emphasize that vaccination remains the most effective way to prevent measles and its complications. Despite being preventable with a safe and affordable vaccine, an estimated 107,500 people—mostly children under five—died from measles in 2023 worldwide. (Source: IANS)
