US measles cases have topped 700 cases in six states: All you need to know

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U.S. bales cases topped 700 arsenic of Friday, capping a week successful which Indiana joined 5 different states pinch progressive outbreaks, Texas grew by different 60 cases, and a third measles-related decease was made public.

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. claimed successful a televised Cabinet gathering Thursday that bales cases were plateauing nationally, but nan microorganism continues to dispersed mostly successful group who are unvaccinated, and nan U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention redeployed a squad to West Texas.

The U.S. has much than double nan number of measles cases it saw successful each of 2024, and Texas is reporting nan mostly of them pinch 541.

U.S. bales cases topped 700 arsenic of Friday, capping a week successful which Indiana joined 5 different states pinch progressive outbreaks, and a third measles-related decease was made public. via REUTERS

Texas’ cases include two unvaccinated simple school-aged children who died from measles-related illnesses near the epicenter of nan outbreak successful agrarian West Texas, which led Kennedy to sojourn nan organization Sunday. The 3rd personification who died was an big successful New Mexico who was not vaccinated.

Other states pinch progressive outbreaks — defined arsenic 3 aliases much cases — see New Mexico, Indiana, Kansas, Ohio, and Oklahoma.

The multistate outbreak confirms wellness experts’ fears that nan microorganism will return clasp successful different U.S. communities pinch debased vaccination rates and that nan spread could agelong connected for a year.

The World Health Organization has said cases in Mexico are linked to nan Texas outbreak.

Measles is caused by a highly contagious microorganism that’s airborne and spreads easily erstwhile an infected personification breathes, sneezes, aliases coughs.

It is preventable done vaccines and has been considered eliminated from nan U.S. since 2000.

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. claimed successful a televised Cabinet gathering Thursday that bales cases were plateauing nationally, but nan microorganism continues to dispersed mostly successful group who are unvaccinated, according to nan CDC. AFP via Getty Images

Here’s what other you need to cognize astir bales successful nan U.S.

How galore bales cases are location successful Texas and New Mexico?

Texas’ outbreak began successful precocious January. State wellness officials said Friday location were 36 caller cases of bales since Tuesday, bringing nan full to 541 crossed 22 counties — astir of them successful West Texas.

A full of 56 Texans person been hospitalized passim nan outbreak.

Of nan confirmed cases, authorities wellness officials estimated Friday that astir 5% are actively infectious.

Texas authorities wellness officials said Friday location were 36 caller cases of bales since Tuesday, bringing nan full to 541 crossed 22 counties  AP

Sixty-five percent of Texas’ cases are successful Gaines County, organization 22,892, wherever nan microorganism started spreading successful a close-knit, undervaccinated Mennonite community.

The region has logged 355 cases since precocious January — conscionable complete 1% of nan county’s residents.

Last week’s decease successful Texas was an 8-year-old child, according to Kennedy.

Health officials successful Texas said nan kid did not person underlying wellness conditions and died of “what nan child’s expert described arsenic bales pulmonary failure.”

A child died of bales successful Texas in precocious February — Kennedy said property 6.

New Mexico announced 2 caller cases Friday, bringing nan state’s full to 58. State wellness officials opportunity nan cases are linked to Texas’ outbreak based connected familial testing.

Most are successful Lea County, wherever 2 group person been hospitalized, 2 are successful Eddy County, and 1 is successful Chaves County.

New Mexico reported its first measles-related decease successful an adult on March 6.

How galore cases are location successful Kansas?

Kansas has 32 cases successful 8 counties successful nan southwest portion of nan state, wellness officials announced Wednesday.

Two of nan counties, Finney and Ford, are caller connected nan database and are awesome organization centers successful that portion of nan state. Haskell County has nan astir pinch 8 cases, Stevens County has seven, Kiowa County has six, and nan remainder person 5 aliases fewer.

The state’s first reported case, identified successful Stevens County connected March 13, is linked to nan Texas and New Mexico outbreaks based connected familial testing, a authorities wellness section spokesperson said.

However, wellness officials person not wished really nan personification was exposed.

How galore cases are location successful Oklahoma?

Cases successful Oklahoma accrued by 2 Friday to 12 total: 9 confirmed and 3 probable cases.

The first 2 probable cases were “associated” pinch nan West Texas and New Mexico outbreaks, nan authorities wellness section said.

Last week’s bales decease successful Texas was an 8-year-old child, according to Kennedy (left). AP

A authorities wellness section spokesperson said bales exposures were confirmed successful Tulsa and Rogers counties but wouldn’t opportunity which counties had cases.

How galore cases are location successful Ohio?

The Ohio Department of Health confirmed 20 bales cases successful nan authorities arsenic of Thursday: 11 successful Ashtabula County adjacent Cleveland, 7 successful Knox County, and 1 each successful Allen and Holmes counties.

Ohio is not including nonresidents successful its count, a authorities wellness section spokesperson told The Associated Press.

The Knox County outbreak successful east-central Ohio has infected a full of 14 people, according to a news merchandise from nan region wellness department, but 7 of them do not unrecorded successful Ohio.

The Ohio Department of Health confirmed 20 bales cases successful nan authorities arsenic of Thursday. REUTERS

In 2022, a bales outbreak successful cardinal Ohio sickened 85.

The outbreak successful Ashtabula County started pinch an unvaccinated big who had interacted pinch personification who had traveled internationally.

How galore cases are location successful Indiana?

Indiana confirmed six connected cases of bales successful Allen County successful nan northeast portion of nan authorities — 4 are unvaccinated minors, and 2 are adults whose vaccination position is unknown.

The cases person nary known nexus to different outbreaks, nan Allen County Department of Health said Wednesday. The first lawsuit was confirmed Monday.

Indiana confirmed six connected cases of bales successful Allen County successful nan northeast portion of nan state, arsenic 4 of nan cases were unvaccinated minors InsideCreativeHouse – stock.adobe.com

Where other is bales showing up successful nan U.S.?

Measles cases person besides been reported successful Alaska, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Vermont, and Washington.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention defines an outbreak arsenic 3 aliases much related cases.

The agency counted seven clusters that qualified arsenic outbreaks successful 2025 arsenic of Friday.

In nan U.S., cases and outbreaks are often traced to someone who caught nan illness abroad. It tin past spread, particularly successful communities pinch debased vaccination rates. In 2019, nan U.S. saw 1,274 cases and almost mislaid its position of having eliminated measles.

So far, successful 2025, nan CDC’s count is 712.

Do you request an MMR booster?

The champion measurement to debar bales is to get the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine.

The first changeable is recommended for children betwixt 12 and 15 months aged and nan 2nd betwixt 4 and 6 years old.

People astatine precocious consequence for infection who sewage nan shots galore years ago whitethorn want to see getting a booster if they unrecorded successful an area pinch an outbreak, said Scott Weaver pinch nan Global Virus Network, an world coalition.

Those whitethorn see family members surviving pinch personification who has bales aliases those particularly susceptible to respiratory diseases because of underlying aesculapian conditions.

Adults pinch “presumptive grounds of immunity” mostly don’t request bales shots now, nan CDC said.

Criteria see written archiving of capable vaccination earlier successful life, laboratory confirmation of past infection, aliases being calved earlier 1957, erstwhile astir group were apt to beryllium infected naturally.

A expert tin bid a laboratory trial called an MMR titer to cheque your levels of bales antibodies, but experts don’t ever urge it, and wellness security plans whitethorn not screen it.

Getting different MMR changeable is harmless if location are concerns astir waning immunity, nan CDC says.

The champion measurement to debar bales is to get the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine, according to reports. Getty Images

People who person archiving of receiving a unrecorded bales vaccine successful nan 1960s don’t request to beryllium revaccinated, but group who were immunized earlier 1968 pinch an ineffective bales vaccine made from a “killed” microorganism should beryllium revaccinated pinch astatine slightest 1 dose, nan agency said.

That besides includes group who don’t cognize which type they got.

What are nan symptoms of measles?

Measles first infects nan respiratory tract, past spreads passim nan body, causing a precocious fever, runny nose, cough, red, watery eyes, and a rash.

The rash mostly appears 3 to 5 days aft nan first symptoms, opening arsenic level reddish spots connected nan look and past spreading downward to nan neck, trunk, arms, legs, and feet.

When nan rash appears, nan fever whitethorn spike complete 104 degrees Fahrenheit, according to nan CDC.

Adults pinch “presumptive grounds of immunity” mostly don’t request bales shots now, nan CDC said. AP

Most kids will retrieve from measles, but infection tin lead to dangerous complications such arsenic pneumonia, blindness, encephalon swelling, and death.

How tin you dainty measles?

There’s nary circumstantial curen for measles, truthful doctors mostly effort to alleviate symptoms, forestall complications, and support patients comfortable.

Why do vaccination rates matter?

The U.S. saw a emergence successful bales cases successful 2024, including an outbreak successful Chicago that sickened much than 60. maxbelchenko – stock.adobe.com

In communities pinch precocious vaccination rates — supra 95% — diseases for illustration bales person a harder clip spreading done communities. This is called “herd immunity.”

But puerility vaccination rates person declined nationwide since nan pandemic, and much parents are claiming belief aliases individual conscience waivers to exempt their kids from required shots.

The U.S. saw a emergence successful bales cases successful 2024, including an outbreak successful Chicago that sickened much than 60.