The Current State of the Measles Outbreak

As of today, April 12th, 2025, the United States is grappling with a significant measles resurgence. Here’s a breakdown of the confirmed cases across several states:

Texas: 541 confirmed cases across 22 counties, primarily in West Texas. 56 Texans have been hospitalized.
New Mexico: 58 confirmed cases, linked to the Texas outbreak through genetic testing.
Kansas: 32 confirmed cases in eight counties (Finniey, Ford, Haskell, Stevens, Kiowa).
Oklahoma: 12 total cases (9 confirmed, 3 probable).
Ohio: 20 confirmed cases (11 in Ashtabula County, 7 in Knox County, 1 each in Allen and Holmes counties).
Indiana: 6 connected cases in Allen County.
Other States: Measles has also been reported in Alaska, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Vermont, and Washington.

Key Details & Trends

Unvaccinated Individuals: The vast majority of cases are linked to individuals who are not vaccinated against measles.
West Texas Focus: The outbreak’s epicenter is in rural West Texas, particularly in Gaines County (population 22,892), where a close-knit, under vaccinated Mennonite community is experiencing a high concentration of cases.
Linked Outbreaks: The New Mexico and Oklahoma cases are linked to the Texas outbreak through genetic testing.
Travel-Associated Cases: Many cases are traced to individuals who contracted the disease abroad and then brought it back to the U.S.
CDC Definition of Outbreak: The CDC defines an outbreak as three or more related cases. As of Friday, April 12th, 2025, there are seven clusters that qualify as outbreaks.

Important Notes & Context

2019 Near-Miss: The U.S. nearly lost its measles elimination status in 2019, with 1,274 cases. This highlights the ongoing vulnerability.
Total Cases So Far in 2025: As of today, April 12th, 2025, the CDC has counted 712 cases.

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