Measles cases in the United States have surged to a 33-year high, with nearly 1,300 confirmed infections, according to data from Johns Hopkins University. This marks a grim milestone in the ongoing outbreak of a preventable disease once thought to be eliminated in the U.S.
Cases have been reported in 38 states and the District of Columbia. The cases have resulted in the deaths of at least three people and has left 155 hospitalized. An alarming 92% of the cases were found in unvaccinated individuals, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
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Health officials continue to advocate for the MMR vaccine as the most effective means to combat the deadly and highly contagious virus. The shots are reported to be 97% effective, preventing illness and further spread of the disease.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that it has identified 27 measles outbreaks in the United States so far in 2025. A measles outbreak is declared when there are three or more related cases.
The CDC says it has identified 1,267 measles cases this year in the U.S. The agency reported that only 8% of those with confirmed cases had a known measles vaccine.
Children are routinely vaccinated for measles at 12 to 15 months and again at 4 to 6 years of age — before going to kindergarten — but children as young as 6 months old can receive the measles vaccine if they are at risk.
According to the CDC, measles causes the following symptoms:
- Pneumonia
- Brain Damage
- Blindness
- Deafness
- Diarrhea
- Premature birth or low-birthweight baby (in unvaccinated pregnant women who contract measles during pregnancy)
- Measles infection leads to loss of immunity to other deadly diseases
The World Health Organization says that herd immunity against measles can be reached when a community achieves a 95% vaccination rate. U.S. health officials estimate that 92.7% of kindergarten students were vaccinated last school year.
U.S., Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has encouraged people to get vaccinated against the disease, but has given mixed messages about his support for the vaccine. He said his position and the federal government's stance are that the government should not be mandating people to get the vaccine.