Measles outbreak confirmed in Ohio. Here's what you need to know
Ohio officially has a measles outbreak, the state health department announced Wednesday.
The outbreak consists of 10 people in Ashtabula County, the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) said in a press release, nine of which are linked to an unvaccinated man reported last week as the state's first measles case of 2025.
There is also a confirmed case in Knox County, where a "visitor" exposed others to measles in Knox and nearby counties.
None of the individuals infected with the highly contagious disease were vaccinated.
'Given the measles activity in Texas, New Mexico, and other states around the country, we're disappointed but not surprised we now have several cases here in Ohio and known exposure in some counties,' said Dr. Bruce Vanderhoff, ODH director. 'This disease can be very serious, even deadly, but it is almost entirely avoidable by being properly vaccinated. Measles is especially dangerous for young children, so I strongly urge all parents across Ohio to make sure your children are vaccinated. It is a crucial layer of protection that can save lives.'
Previous coverage: Measles is getting closer to Ohio. Here's what you can do to protect you and yours
Measles cases nationwide in 2025 have already surpassed 2024's total case count. The latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show 378 people in 18 states have been diagnosed with measles. The outbreaks are primarily in Texas and New Mexico.
The CDC defines a measles outbreak as three or more related cases. Measles can spread quickly, and each case can lead to an additional 12 to 18 cases if people aren't protected against the disease.
Local health officials warned that it was only a matter of time before measles reached Ohio, especially given Ohio's "alarming" decline in childhood vaccinations in the state.
Vaccine rates for measles, mumps and rubella — commonly known as MMR shots — in kindergartners dropped in Ohio from 89.2% in the 2023-2024 school year to 88.3% in the current school year, according to ODH's recent school immunization report.
This isn't Ohio's first outbreak in recent years. In 2022, Ohio had 90 measles cases, with 85 of those being in central Ohio.
Medical business and health care reporter Samantha Hendrickson can be reached at shendrickson@dispatch.com or @samanthajhendr on X, formerly known as twitter.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Ashtabula County, Ohio measles outbreak: What you need to know
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