A measles outbreak has spread across the United States, with a total of 800 cases reported as of Friday. Texas is driving the high numbers, with over 200 cases linked to an unvaccinated adult who had interacted with someone who had traveled internationally.
The outbreak affects several states, including Ohio, Indiana, Pennsylvania, Michigan, and others. According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there have been 10 clusters of related cases, indicating that measles is spreading through communities.
Measles first infects the respiratory tract, then spreads throughout the body, causing a high fever, runny nose, cough, red, watery eyes, and a rash. The rash generally appears three to five days after the first symptoms, beginning as flat red spots on the face and then spreading downward to the neck, trunk, arms, legs, and feet.
The CDC recommends that children receive two doses of the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine, with the first shot between 12 and 15 months old and the second between 4 and 6 years old. People who have documentation of receiving a live measles vaccine in the 1960s do not need to be revaccinated.
The US has seen a rise in measles cases since 2024, with outbreaks reported in several states. Childhood vaccination rates have declined nationwide, leading to more parents claiming religious or personal conscience waivers to exempt their kids from required shots. In communities with high vaccination rates above 95%, diseases like measles have a harder time spreading through communities, known as “herd immunity.”
Source: https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/national-international/measles-outbreak-grows-texas-kansas-indiana-pennsylvania-ohio/3820765