We have now surpassed 1000 cases of measles in the US. How can we control the outbreak?
Update on numbers
Confirmed cases are correct as of Friday May 23, 2025 (Note that the CDC updates their numbers on Friday at noon)
➡️ There are now more than 1000 cases of measles across the US.
⬆️ There are 1046 total confirmed cases across the US – 728 are in Texas
🚨 92% of cases are associated with one of 14 different outbreaks (an outbreak is 3 or more related cases)
🏥 12% of confirmed measles patients have been hospitalized (22% of those hospitalized are under 5 years old )
😷 Three people have been confirmed to have died from measles, two of whom were children with no underlying conditions
🤒 67% of cases are in people under 19 years old
💉 97% of cases (1014 out of the 1046!) are in unvaccinated or under-vaccinated people
➡️ 30 states (up from 22 one month ago) have now reported measles cases including Alaska, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York State [most in New York City], North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia, and Washington
➡️ A map* from the Center for Outbreak Response Innovation (CORI) shows current detailed case counts, vaccine rates, and public exposure notifications in the US down to the county level. *Note that this map may show different numbers in the future and could not be archived on this publication date.
➡️ 947 of the current confirmed cases are associated with the fourteen main ongoing outbreaks.
When will this measles outbreak end?
The current outbreak remains the largest we have seen since 2019 when there were 1274 cases, and the second largest since 1992. We may see a decrease in spread of the measles virus over the next few months as the weather turns nicer and people spend more time outside. Measles is highly contagious, meaning it spreads very easily when one person breathes in virus from the air another person breathes out. It is more likely you will breathe in air containing virus when you are inside.
Even if cases go down it does not mean we should relax. Because when people get together inside again, cases would likely surge again.
In 2000, measles was officially declared eliminated in the US. This doesn’t mean we had zero cases, instead it means that all cases and small outbreaks were due to people who were infected while outside of the US. However, with increasing numbers of unvaccinated people living in the US, it is becoming more likely that measles will reach a point where it is continuously spreading among those in the US. When that happens, the US will lose its “measles eliminated” status.
Factors that can make it increasingly likely the “measles eliminated” status will be removed include:
📉 Decreased vaccine rates for preventable diseases like measles
❓ Vaccine hesitancy and misinformation
📈 Continued introduction and spread of measles in the US
⬇️ Reduced efforts to test and track infections and outbreaks
Can we stop these outbreaks?
✅✅ The best way to control measles is by making sure you and your family are up to date on all vaccines, including measles. Two doses of the measles vaccine is highly effective and safe.
Other things that help control measles and other infectious diseases include:
😷 Masking to reduce spreading or getting measles.
🧑🤝🧑 Encouraging others to keep their vaccines up to date to reduce the number of opportunities for the measles virus to spread.
👩🏾⚕️ Supporting public health agencies that track and provide trustworthy, evidence-based information to the public.
📚 Supporting health research to find new therapies and treatments for viral infections like measles.
Important reminders:
‼️ Once you get the measles, there are no approved antiviral treatments. Clinical care includes supportive therapy and possibly immune globulin (antibodies to the measles virus) for severe cases.
⏳ It can take up to 21 days for the classic measles rash to show up.
😷 Someone is contagious from 4 days before to 4 days after the rash starts. This means people can spread the disease before they know they have it!
💉 If you think you were exposed and are not already immune to the measles virus from infection or vaccination, you can get a post-exposure vaccine. Read more from a former post from Those Nerdy Girls here.
❌ Antibiotics can’t treat viral infections!
❌ Vitamin A does not prevent measles virus infection and is not a substitute for vaccination. A hospitalized child may receive vitamin A as part of supportive therapy to help their immune system fight the infection. Parents should never attempt to treat their child at home with high-dose vitamin A. More information on vitamin A and measles can be found in our earlier measles update post.
We will continue to update you as the situation changes.
Stay Safe!
Sources:
Deep dive into Measles and treatments
CDC – Measles Cases and Outbreaks and map [archived link]
Texas DSHS – Measles Outbreak – May 23, 2025 [archived link]
National Foundation for Infectious Diseases – Call to Action Vitamin A for the Management of Measles in the United States [archived link]
