The U.S. is facing its second-largest measles outbreak in 25 years, with 884 confirmed cases reported, according to the latest CDC data.
Health officials are urging immediate action to increase vaccination coverage and prevent a more widespread health crisis.
Here are five more things to know:
- As of April 24, 884 cases have been reported, a significant increase from 285 reported in 2024, with ongoing outbreaks in Texas, New Mexico and Oklahoma accounting for 84% of cases.
- The Texas Department of Health reported 646 cases have been confirmed in the state amid the ongoing outbreak. Among the cases, 64 individuals have been hospitalized and two fatalities have been reported, while one is undergoing investigation.
- On April 24, the CDC reported the ongoing outbreaks are concentrated within tight-knit communities where vaccination rates are low. The agency also noted that endemic measles was declared eliminated in the U.S. in 2000, but declining immunization rates are reversing that success, especially in areas with gaps in vaccination coverage.
- A recent study by Stanford University projects that, if vaccination rates continue to decline by just 10%, the U.S. could see millions of measles cases in the next two decades.
- Nathan Lo, an infectious disease physician, told The Washington Post that if rates drop just 10%, the disease could become a common household threat again, with hospitalizations and deaths becoming routine. The study also showed that a mere 5% increase in state-level vaccination coverage could help avert hundreds of thousands of infections.
