The U.S. is having its worst year for measles in more than three decades
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Wednesday that the national case count surpassed 2019, when there were 1,274 cases for the year and the country almost lost its status of having eliminated the vaccine-preventable illness. That could happen this year if the virus has nonstop spread for 12 months.
This year's outbreaks, some of them interconnected, started five months ago in undervaccinated communities in West Texas. Three people have died — two children in Texas and an adult in New Mexico — and dozens of people have been hospitalized. Public health experts maintain the true case count may be higher than state health departments have confirmed.
North America has three other major measles outbreaks, with 2,966 cases in Chihuahua state, Mexico, 2,223 cases in Ontario, Canada and 1,230 in Alberta, Canada. Twelve other states have current confirmed outbreaks of three or more people -Arizona, Colorado, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma and Utah — and four other states saw their outbreaks end.
The measles, mumps and rubella vaccine is 97% effective at preventing measles after two doses.
The World Health Organization said in 2000 that measles had been eliminated from the U.S.
The CDC identified 22 outbreaks in 2019, the largest being two separate clusters in New York — 412 in New York state and 702 in New York City. These were linked because as measles was spreading through close-knit Orthodox Jewish communities, the CDC said.
It's a similar situation in North America this year, where the Canada, Mexico and Texas outbreaks stem from large Mennonite communities in the regions. Mennonite churches do not formally discourage vaccination, though more conservative Mennonite communities historically have low vaccination rates and a distrust of government.
A recent study found childhood vaccination rates against measles fell after the Covid-19 pandemic in nearly 80% of the more than 2,000 U.S. counties with available data, including in states that are battling outbreaks this year.
Only 92.7% of kindergarteners in the U.S. had the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine in the 2023-2024 school year, below the 95% needed to prevent outbreaks. In Gaines County, Texas, the epicenter of the Texas outbreak, only 82% of kindergarteners were up-to-date with MMR vaccines.
State and federal leaders have for years kept funding stagnant for local public health departments' vaccination programs that are tasked with reversing the trend.
"What we're seeing with measles is a little bit of a 'canary in a coal mine,'" said Lauren Gardner, leader of Johns Hopkins University's independent measles and Covid tracking databases. "It's indicative of a problem that we know exists with vaccination attitudes in this county and just, I think, likely to get worse."
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NBC News
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How we picked top-rated emergency kits and supplies Using guidance from reputable agencies like the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), the Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention (CDC) and the American Red Cross, we selected emergency kits based on the following criteria: Supplies included: All of the above organizations suggest an emergency kit that includes some variation of the following: First aid: suitable to the size and medical need of your family Sustenance: water (one gallon per person per day) and non-perishable food that can last several days Hygiene: moist towelettes and garbage bags Light: flashlight Shelter: plastic sheeting and emergency blankets Communication: whistles, a battery-powered or hand-crank radio (with NOAA Weather Radio, if possible), cell phone and cell phone charging cables Tools: disposable batteries, duct tape, multitool or wrench, can-opener (if kit contains canned food) and local maps Protection: N95 masks Household size: Emergency kits are designed for a specific number of people. We included pre-built options for households ranging from one to four people. Top-rated: We only selected pre-made kits with at least a four star rating on the brand or retailer sites. The best emergency kits of 2025 These top-rated emergency kits have most of the supplies recommended by FEMA, the CDC and The American Red Cross. You can also supplement them with supplies of your own. This three-day emergency kit includes a variety of agency-recommended items like a hand-crank radio, first-aid kit and multiple water pouches, plus some additional nice-to-haves, like water purification tablets, nylon rope, a sewing kit, a candle and hand warmers. The supplies are labeled and color-coated in bags that have a QR code that you can scan to find out more about how to use them, according to the brand. Everything comes in a red backpack, and the two-person version (linked above) weighs about 18 pounds. You can read a full list of the included supplies on Redfora's website. This emergency kit doesn't have all of the recommended shelter and communication supplies mentioned above, so you may want to supplement it with things like plastic sheeting, batteries, charging tools and local maps. This emergency kit has fewer supplies than our top pick but costs significantly less. It's a good starting point to build a larger kit, and it's small enough to fit into a larger emergency pack. Highlights include twelve 4.2 ounces water pouches, two 12-hour emergency lightsticks and two survival blankets. You can read a full list of the included supplies on Ready America's website. A one-person emergency kit is great for individuals or as a small backup option to keep in places like cars, boats or your place of work. This one-person kit is lightweight at just under five pounds, and comes in a blue backpack that has a mesh outer pocket that's a good fit for stuffing things like clothes or blankets. 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Below are a few top-rated water storage and water filtration supplies that may fit your needs. Whistles Whistles can get incredibly loud with a lot less effort on your part than shouting or yelling. If you're in distress and need help, blow a whistle three times — three of anything in a repeating sequence is known to be an international sign of distress (SOS), according to the Utah Department of Public Safety. Flashlights A flashlight is critical if your power is out and you need to get around safely in the dark. Batteries and portable chargers Most flashlights (and some radios) are powered by disposable AA or AAA batteries, and recommends storing a few extras in your emergency kit. Portable chargers and backup power stations can also be useful in case of a blackout. Radio with NOAA Weather Radio tone alert A radio is a good way to get updates on the disaster, including any known safety risks, according to FEMA. Sleeping bags Maintaining your body temperature in hot or cold weather is vital for survival, according to the Utah Department of Public Safety. A sleeping bag can help you stay warm in cold conditions and you can typically roll it into a smaller size so it can easily fit into an emergency bag. You can learn more in our sleeping bags guide. Face masks The American Red Cross recommends putting N95 or surgical masks in your emergency kit, depending on the types of disasters common to your area. Personal Hygiene If you don't have access to running clean water or soap, you can use moist towelettes and hand wipes to clean and sanitize. Tools and Shelter The right tools and shelter can make it easier to shut off damaged household utilities (in case of downed wires, for example), open canned food and shelter in place. Maps and navigation recommends any basic disaster supply kit have maps of your area. 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24 minutes ago
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Worcester health and human services commissioner to retire after 10 years
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Highly contagious disease surges in some US states amid report of possible fatal case
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