Measles outbreak: Who’s at risk and who’s likely immune from virus
As measles continue to spread in the U.S., here’s who is at risk and who’s immune from one of the most contagious viruses in the world.
Two more states are reporting they are now part of the escalating measles outbreaks across the U.S.
Oklahoma health officials on Tuesday reported two cases of the highly contagious infectious disease in the state while health officials more than 1,500 miles northeast in Vermont reported one confirmed case of the virus there.
The two cases in Oklahoma are being reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as probable cases “due to exposure associated with the Texas and New Mexico outbreak” and because the victims are experiencing symptoms consistent with measles, the Oklahoma State Department of Health said.
The state agency did not release the age of the two individuals or where they are located but said there is no public health threat associated with the cases.
The individuals took “proper precautions by immediately excluding themselves from public settings and staying home throughout their contagious period.”
“These cases highlight the importance of being aware of measles activity as people travel or host visitors,” OSDH Director of Infectious Disease Prevention and Response Kendra Dougherty said in a statement. “When people know they have exposure risk and do not have immunity to measles, they can exclude themselves from public settings for the recommended duration to eliminate the risk of transmission in their community.”
Vermont case
In Vermont, the state’s first measles case in 2025 was confirmed by the health department on Monday night after a child in Lamoille County contracted the virus following a trip abroad with family.
The child has been isolated from most community settings while contagious, officials said, and the department believes public risk to be low.
The child received an evaluation Sunday at Copley Hospital in Morrisville, a village just over 25 miles north of Montpelier, the state’s capital. The hospital has contacted emergency department visitors during the exposure period.
Which states have reported measles cases in 2025?
In addition to the three new cases in two new states, measles cases have been reported by 12 states so far this year: As of March 6, Alaska, California, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York City, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas, and Washington have reported cases, the CDC’s latest data shows. The data is updated by the CDC each Friday.
An additional case was also reported in Maryland on Monday, bringing the total number of states with confirmed infections to 15.
Local health departments are reporting cases at a faster pace than the CDC. The map below includes cases in Oklahoma, Vermont and Maryland that are not yet reflected in the CDC’s data.
Outbreaks in Texas, New Mexico continue to grow
The latest reported cases come as the virus first reported in Texas continues to grow.
The Texas Department of State Health Services reported Tuesday that 223 measles cases had been confirmed in the state, and 29 of the individuals have been hospitalized. One unvaccinated, school-aged child in Texas died from the virus. The New Mexico Department of Health on Tuesday reported 33 confirmed cases ‒ 32 in Lea County, which borders Texas, and one in Eddy County. Of the infected, one person was hospitalized and one died.
Just two days earlier, Maryland health officials identified a case of measles in a state resident who recently traveled internationally.
The state’s department of health said in a release Sunday that the resident lives in Howard County, southeast of Baltimore, but officials confirmed the case is not associated with the outbreaks in Texas and New Mexico.
Traveling? Make sure you’re vaccinated, CDC says
The CDC is urging travelers to make sure they are vaccinated as the outbreak spreads ahead of spring and summer.
“They should be vigilant for cases of febrile rash illness that meet the measles case definition and share effective measles prevention strategies, including vaccination guidance for international travelers,” the federal agency said in an alert late last week.
What is measles and how do you get it?
Measles is a contagious, vaccine-preventable disease caused by a virus that primarily, and most severely, affects children. According to the World Health Organization, it infects the respiratory tract before spreading throughout the body.
According to CDC data, 1 in 5 unvaccinated people who contract the virus end up hospitalized.
Measles is spread through contact with infected nasal or throat secretions, or by breathing in the virus after it’s coughed, sneezed, or sent into the air by an infected person, according to WHO. The measles virus can remain contagious in the air or on contaminated surfaces for up to two hours.
What are symptoms of measles?
Measles symptoms usually appear seven to 14 days after contact with the virus and typically include high fever, cough, runny nose and watery eyes, according to the CDC. Measles rash appears three to five days after the onset of the first symptoms.
Other signs and symptoms of the virus include:
◾Koplik spots, tiny white spots that may appear inside the mouth two to three days after symptoms begin.
◾High fever (when the rash appears, a person’s fever may spike to more than 104 degrees Fahrenheit).
◾Cough.
◾Runny nose and sneezing.
◾Red, watery eyes.
◾Loss of appetite, diarrhea.
◾Reddish-brown rash that can spread across the entire body.
◾Small raised bumps may also appear on top of the flat red spots (the spots may become joined together as they spread from the head to the rest of the body).
(This story has been updated to include one additional measles-related death.)
Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for . Reach her at [email protected] and follow her on X @nataliealund.
Contributing: Mary Walrath-Holdridge
