Growing Measles Cases: A Rise to an Epidemic

March 17th, 2025

Anya Gordeev

Measles outbreaks continue to spread across the U.S., most popular in West Texas and New Mexico. But now, with cases reaching states like Pennsylvania, California, and Oklahoma, measles is shown to be a growing epidemic. In just the first 3 months of 2025, more than 250 cases have been reported nationwide. Measles has now sadly taken two lives, marking the first U.S. measles related deaths in over a decade.

Texas has reported 223 measles cases since late January, with 29 hospitalizations. Most of the 223 cases are among children who had not received the MMR (measles, mumps, and rubella) vaccine. Other states, including California, Alaska, and New Mexico, have reported additional cases, with the first cases also confirmed in Oklahoma and Vermont just two days ago.

On Wednesday, a woman in labor at University Medical Center in Lubbock, Texas, who unknowingly had measles. She accidentally exposed newborns, mothers, and families to measles, and hospital staff quickly implemented emergency measures, including masking up and administering immunoglobulin injections to babies as young as three days old to prevent infection. Public health officials are working to contact everyone who may have been exposed, as viral particles can remain active for up to two hours.

These outbreaks have prompted health experts to stress the importance of vaccination. The CDC strongly recommends the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine, which is 97% effective after two doses. One dose provides about 93% protection, and community immunity is achieved when over 95% of a population is vaccinated. The CDC warns that more cases are expected as the outbreak continues to grow. Measles was declared eliminated in the U.S. in 2000, but recent outbreaks highlight the ongoing risk due to declining vaccination rates.