Updated Report on the 2025 Measles Outbreak in the US
In the third quarter of 2025, reported measles cases in the United States outnumber those documented in the entirety of 2024.
Kickin' it three months into '25, and the measly U.S. measles cases for the year have hopped over the total number recorded in 2024. As of now, we're staring down at least 308 reported measles cases according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Last year, we tallied 285 measles cases.
This spike's been fueled by a multistate outbreak mostly affecting West Texas. Our Lone Star State has already reported an astounding 223 cases this year, followed by 33 cases in New Mexico and a pair in Oklahoma associated with the outbreak.
Texas and New Mexico are planning to serve up fresh updates on measles cases this Friday, so keep your eyes peeled for more info.
Nowadays, measles hasn't been much of a concern in the U.S. since it got declared eliminated. Typically, we've seen around 179 measles cases annually, with outbreaks averaging around 8 incidents (quite a range from 1 to 25). Most years, at least 60% of cases can be linked to outbreaks. But the real doozies usually stay under 50 cases. 2025 is a pretty wild exception, becoming the fifth post-2000 year that an outbreak's claimed more than 100 cases and only the third year over 300 cases. The other times were the Disneyland outbreak in '14 and the '19 New York outbreak that came real close to junking elimination status in the States.
Last month, Texas mobilized some press releases about the outbreak's first casualty - a school-aged kid who skipped out on getting vaccinated and had no underlying health issues. Health officials in New Mexico also revealed they've been tickin' away on a health mystery surrounding an unvaccinated individual who tested positive for measles. The Lea County resident chose to steer clear of healthcare facilities, so the cause of this unfortunate soul's demise remains a yawning question mark.
In 2025, the average number of measles cases expected in the U.S. is significantly higher than the usual 179 annual cases, with the current outbreak total reaching 308 cases as reported by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This year's outbreak, primarily affecting Oklahoma, New Mexico, and West Texas, has seen over 223 cases in Texas alone. Interestingly, this spike marks the fifth post-2000 year that an outbreak has claimed more than 100 cases in the country, following the Disneyland outbreak in 2014 and the New York outbreak in 2019 that nearly jeopardized the nation's elimination status for measles.
