US measles cases reach new record high since eradication declaration in 2000

US measles cases reach new record high since eradication declaration in 2000 | Image Credit: © Romolo Tavani - © Romolo Tavani
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As of July 4, 2025, there were 1277 measles cases reported in the United States, which is the most since the disease was considered eradicated in 2000, according to data from the Johns Hopkins University Center for Outbreak Response Innovation and multiple national media outlets.^1-3

The 1277 cases reported approximately halfway through 2025 is already higher than the 1274 cases reported in all of 2019, the last record year of measles cases.²

The record number of cases reported so far this year are led by the 790 cases that have been reported in Texas, with some of the largest outbreaks occurring in Gaines County with 414 cases reported, 60 in Terry County, and 53 in Lubbock County.¹

According to the most recent data from the CDC from July 2, there have been 3 deaths confirmed from measles. Additionally, 88% of cases reported have been outbreak-associated. The CDC broke down reported cases by age, which are as follows (as of July 2)⁴:

US cases in 2025:

Under 5 years: 360 (28%)
5-19 years: 464 (37%)
20+ years: 431 (34%)
Age unknown: 12 (1%)

Vaccination Status
Unvaccinated or Unknown: 92%
One MMR dose: 4%
Two MMR doses: 4%

Vaccination status:

Unvaccinated or Unknown: 92%
One MMR dose: 4%
Two MMR doses: 4%

Hospitalizations:

A total of 155 of the 1267 cases reported through July 2 (12%) were hospitalized.

Under 5 years: 21% (74 of 360)
5-19 years: 8% (36 of 464)
20+ years: 10% (44 of 431)
Age unknown: 8% (1 of 12)

According to the CDC, approximately 1 in 5 unvaccinated individuals who get measles in the United States are hospitalized, and 1 in every 20 children with measles get pneumonia, which is the most common cause of death from measles in young children.

"The reason we're seeing these outbreaks in these certain areas is because the rate of measles vaccine uptake in those areas has fallen below the 95% level, which is the level we need to make sure that if a case of measles gets into the community, it doesn't have the opportunity to spread widely," Jesse Hackell, MD, FAAP, told Contemporary Pediatrics. Hackell is chair of the Committee on Pediatric Workforce with the American Academy of Pediatrics and the immediate past president of the New York AAP Chapter 3. "Unfortunately, some communities have very low rates, [so] when one case of measles comes in, because it is so unbelievably contagious, it can spread dramatically. And it has."

The first symptoms of measles typically appear after 7 to 14 days post-contact with the highly contagious virus. Symptoms usually begin with a cough, high fever, runny nose, and red or watery eyes, before Koplik spots appear inside the mouth 2 to 3 days after symptoms begin. Three to 5 days after symptoms show up, measles rash appears, usually beginning as flat red spots on the face near the hairline before spreading down to the neck, trunk, arms, legs, and feet.

References:

1. United States, Canada, and Mexico Measles Cases in 2025. Center for Outbreak Response Innovation. Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security. Updated July 4, 2025. Accessed July 7, 2025. https://cori.centerforhealthsecurity.org/resources/measles-outbreak-response

2. McPhillips D. Measles cases surge to record high since disease was declared eliminated in the US. CNN Health. July 5, 2025. Accessed July 7, 2025. https://www.cnn.com/2025/07/05/health/measles-cases-us-record-since-elimination

3. Loehrke J. Measles cases hit highest level since it was declared eradicated in the U.S. in 2000. July 5, 2025. Accessed July 7, 2025. https://www.usatoday.com/story/graphics/2025/07/05/2025-record-breaking-measles-outbreak/83994445007/?tbref=hp

4. Measles cases and outbreaks. CDC. Updated July 2, 2025. Accessed July 7, 2025. https://www.cdc.gov/measles/data-research/index.html