There are three times more measles cases this year than at the same time last year. Already, measles has spread across nine states, with the majority of cases isolated in Texas.The Texas Department of State Health Services has reported 159 cases of the measles as of March 4. Most of the outbreak is in western Texas.One school-aged child who was not vaccinated has died. It was the first measles death in the U.S. since 2015.Later Thursday, the New Mexico Department of Health confirmed a resident who died tested positive for measles. The person, who officials said was unvaccinated, did not seek medical care.The official cause of death is still to be determined by the state Office of the Medical Investigator.Across the country, there are 164 reported measles cases, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports as of Feb. 27. At this point last year, only 50 measles cases were reported. The majority of measles cases, 95%, occurred among people with an unvaccinated/unknown status, and 20% of the people infected have been hospitalized. Those ages 5 to 19 account for about half of the cases, and 34% of the cases are children under 5 years of age.The current measles outbreak comes as fewer kindergarteners are vaccinated across the country. Overall, measles, mumps and rubella vaccination coverage among kindergarteners has decreased from 95.2% during the 2019-20 school year to 92.7% last school year.Only 11 states achieved herd immunity, or a vaccination rate of over 95%, during the 2023-24 school year, according to CDC data. Herd immunity means that when most people are vaccinated in a community, the community is more resistant to the spread of disease. Idaho had the lowest vaccination rate, just under 80%, and West Virginia had the highest, at 98.3%. Thirty-eight states and Washington, D.C., fell below that 95% threshold, and 14 states faced vaccination coverage of less than 90% among kindergarteners.Texas, where the majority of the cases in 2025 have occurred so far, had an estimated vaccination rate of 94.3% among its kindergarteners. The number of states that have achieved herd immunity has cut nearly in half from where it was before the pandemic began.Changes in vaccination practices across the board could stem from hesitancy about the COVID-19 vaccination, the CDC said in an October article. The declines in vaccination rates stayed even when COVID-19 impacts on vaccine supply ended, the CDC said.An increase in vaccine exemptions across the country could also have led to lower vaccination numbers, according to the CDC. Measles was officially declared eliminated from the U.S. in 2000. Despite the recent outbreaks, the elimination status remains. “If the U.S. is found to have a continuous single chain of measles virus transmission that lasts 12 consecutive months, elimination status would be lost,” a CDC spokesperson told the Hearst Television Data Team.The worst year for measles in recent history was 2019, when there were 1,274 cases. Most of those cases were also among unvaccinated people, and the New York Orthodox Jewish communities were hit hardest.Before the measles vaccine was licensed in 1963, the disease was far more widespread in the country. After the first vaccine was licensed, cases dropped dramatically. There was a small uptick in cases around 1989, which led scientists to recommend the second dose of the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine. Today, the CDC recommends that people get the first dose of the MMR vaccine at 12-15 months old and that they receive the second dose at 4-6 years of age. The MMR vaccine protects against measles, mumps and rubella.PHNjcmlwdCB0eXBlPSJ0ZXh0L2phdmFzY3JpcHQiPiFmdW5jdGlvbigpeyJ1c2Ugc3RyaWN0Ijt3aW5kb3cuYWRkRXZlbnRMaXN0ZW5lcigibWVzc2FnZSIsKGZ1bmN0aW9uKGUpe2lmKHZvaWQgMCE9PWUuZGF0YVsiZGF0YXdyYXBwZXItaGVpZ2h0Il0pe3ZhciB0PWRvY3VtZW50LnF1ZXJ5U2VsZWN0b3JBbGwoImlmcmFtZSIpO2Zvcih2YXIgYSBpbiBlLmRhdGFbImRhdGF3cmFwcGVyLWhlaWdodCJdKWZvcih2YXIgcj0wO3I8dC5sZW5ndGg7cisrKXtpZih0W3JdLmNvbnRlbnRXaW5kb3c9PT1lLnNvdXJjZSl0W3JdLnN0eWxlLmhlaWdodD1lLmRhdGFbImRhdGF3cmFwcGVyLWhlaWdodCJdW2FdKyJweCJ9fX0pKX0oKTs8L3NjcmlwdD4=
There are three times more measles cases this year than at the same time last year.
Already, measles has spread across nine states, with the majority of cases isolated in Texas.
The Texas Department of State Health Services has reported 159 cases of the measles as of March 4. Most of the outbreak is in western Texas.
One school-aged child who was not vaccinated has died. It was the first measles death in the U.S. since 2015.
Later Thursday, the New Mexico Department of Health confirmed a resident who died tested positive for measles. The person, who officials said was unvaccinated, did not seek medical care.
The official cause of death is still to be determined by the state Office of the Medical Investigator.
Across the country, there are 164 reported measles cases, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports as of Feb. 27. At this point last year, only 50 measles cases were reported.
The majority of measles cases, 95%, occurred among people with an unvaccinated/unknown status, and 20% of the people infected have been hospitalized.
Those ages 5 to 19 account for about half of the cases, and 34% of the cases are children under 5 years of age.
The current measles outbreak comes as fewer kindergarteners are vaccinated across the country. Overall, measles, mumps and rubella vaccination coverage among kindergarteners has decreased from 95.2% during the 2019-20 school year to 92.7% last school year.
Only 11 states achieved herd immunity, or a vaccination rate of over 95%, during the 2023-24 school year, according to CDC data. Herd immunity means that when most people are vaccinated in a community, the community is more resistant to the spread of disease.
Idaho had the lowest vaccination rate, just under 80%, and West Virginia had the highest, at 98.3%. Thirty-eight states and Washington, D.C., fell below that 95% threshold, and 14 states faced vaccination coverage of less than 90% among kindergarteners.
Texas, where the majority of the cases in 2025 have occurred so far, had an estimated vaccination rate of 94.3% among its kindergarteners.
The number of states that have achieved herd immunity has cut nearly in half from where it was before the pandemic began.
Changes in vaccination practices across the board could stem from hesitancy about the COVID-19 vaccination, the CDC said in an . The declines in vaccination rates stayed even when COVID-19 impacts on vaccine supply ended, the CDC said.
An increase in vaccine exemptions across the country could also have led to lower vaccination numbers, according to the CDC.
Measles was officially declared eliminated from the U.S. in 2000. Despite the recent outbreaks, the elimination status remains.
“If the U.S. is found to have a continuous single chain of measles virus transmission that lasts 12 consecutive months, elimination status would be lost,” a CDC spokesperson told the Hearst Television Data Team.
The worst year for measles in recent history was 2019, when there were . Most of those cases were also among unvaccinated people, and the New York Orthodox Jewish communities were hit hardest.
Before the measles vaccine was licensed in 1963, the disease was far more widespread in the country. After the first vaccine was licensed, cases dropped dramatically.
There was a small uptick in cases around 1989, which led scientists to recommend the second dose of the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine.
Today, the that people get the first dose of the MMR vaccine at 12-15 months old and that they receive the second dose at 4-6 years of age. The MMR vaccine protects against measles, mumps and rubella.
