In the year 2000, due to a successful vaccination program to keep the disease in check, measles was declared eliminated within the United States, but fast forward to the current day and measles have reportedly hit a record high since the past 33 years.
According to the CDC, “As of July 8, 2025, a total of 1,288 confirmed measles cases were reported by 39 jurisdictions” and that “There have been 27 outbreaks reported in 2025 and 88% of confirmed cases (1,130 of 1,288) are outbreak-associated. For comparison, 16 outbreaks were reported during 2024 and 69% of cases (198 of 285) were outbreak-associated. CDC is aware of probable measles cases being reported by jurisdictions. However, the data on this page only includes confirmed cases.” The CDC goes on to further confirm that in 2025, 13% of cases led to hospitalizations, with three confirmed deaths having occurred this year. They warn to “talk to your healthcare provider about the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine, especially if planning to travel.”
It seems Texas has been hit the hardest by the outbreak, with the Texas Health and Human Services stating that “At this time, 753 cases have been confirmed since late January” and that “Ninety-eight of the patients have been hospitalized. This number is the total number of people hospitalized over the course of the outbreak. It is not the current number of people in the hospital. There have been two fatalities in school-aged children who lived in the outbreak area. The children were not vaccinated and had no known underlying conditions.” If the outbreak continues to spread, it could eventually lead to the loss of the current eliminated status that was given 25 years ago. To prevent further spread, many officials and experts claim to get vaccinated and to stay cautious when travelling.
