Measles has been reported in nearly all Midwestern states. What's the risk in Wisconsin?
With nearly all of Wisconsin's neighboring states now reporting cases of measles, threat of an outbreak in the state is growing, public health officials say.
So far, Wisconsin has not reported any measles cases in 2025. Last year, the state's only recorded case was in a Dane County adult, who has believed to have contracted the disease after traveling to another state. The state's last major outbreak was between 1989 and 1990, totaling more than 1,600 cases.
However, as summer travel ramps up, an outbreak may not be far behind in Wisconsin, according to Stephanie Schauer, immunization program coordinator for the Wisconsin Department of Health Services. As of May 8, the U.S. has logged more more than 1,000 measles cases across 31 states — compared to 285 cases in all of 2024, per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Due to the highly contagious nature of the virus, it sometimes only takes one travel-related case to cause an outbreak across an entire community, Schauer said.
'Just staying six feet away from someone won't really do it," she added. "Measles can stay suspended up in the air for up to two hours, so you can come into a space where there was a case of measles, and the person could have left an hour ago, but you could still contract the disease.'
As cases continue rising nationally, here's how to best protect yourself from measles in Wisconsin.
A surge in summer travel, rising cases in the Midwest and low vaccination rates for the measles, mumps and rubella, or MMR, vaccine statewide could all make for a major measles outbreak in Wisconsin, Schauer said.
As of May 14, Minnesota, Michigan and Illinois had all reported between one and nine cases of measles in 2025, according to the CDC. In late April, Illinois officials confirmed a case in an adult who had traveled through Chicago O'Hare International Airport, a major connecting airport for Wisconsinites traveling outside the region.
Though Wisconsinites traveling domestically to places with outbreaks — such as Texas, which has seen 600 cases alone — should still get up-to-date on vaccines, Schauer said international travel is the greatest risk factor for measles.
"Many of the recent cases are linked to international travel," she said. "We see an increased risk anytime folks are traveling, especially with measles circulating in several areas of the world, including Canada, Mexico, Europe."
If a traveler does bring measles back to Wisconsin, Schauer said there are "pockets throughout the whole state" that are under-vaccinated and vulnerable to the disease. About 90% of unvaccinated people who are exposed to measles end up contracting it, and one in five unvaccinated people who get measles end up needing hospitalization, according to the CDC
'For cases to not turn into more of an outbreak, you need about 95% of people in a given community protected," Schauer said. "That's pretty high, and we certainly have communities where it's much lower."
In the 2023-24 school year, only about 84.8% of Wisconsin kindergartners were up-to-date on the MMR vaccine, one of the lowest vaccination rates nationwide, according to CDC data. Young children are at much higher risk of developing severe symptoms or even dying from measles.
As of 2024, DHS reported that 81.4% of 24-month-olds in Wisconsin have received at least one dose of the MMR vaccine — compared to more than 90% nationally. The western region of the state had the lowest MMR vaccination rates, particularly Clark (49.8% vaccination), Vernon (44.3%) and Crawford (61%) counties.
In Milwaukee, MMR vaccination rates for 24-month-olds were slightly below the state level at 83.5%. That's an improvement from lagging vaccination rates during the pandemic, but still a downtick from 87.7% in 2016.
'The MMR vaccination rate for children has been declining over the last ten years," Schauer said. "We're not nearly as high as we need to be.'
In general, health officials say the following people should get the MMR vaccine:
Adults and older children without proof of immunity should get at least one dose, or if they wish, two doses at least 28 days apart. Adults born in the U.S. before 1957 are considered immune.
Infants between 12 and 15 months should get one dose.
Children between 4 and 6 years should get a second dose. Two doses of the vaccine are 97% effective in preventing measles.
For people traveling internationally, the recommendations are slightly different, due to increased risk of contracting the disease.
Anyone without proof of immunity should get fully vaccinated with two doses, separated by at least 28 days. That includes adults, children and adolescents.
Infants between 6 and 11 months can get their first MMR dose early if traveling internationally. They should then still get two doses after their first birthday (typically one dose at 12 months and a second at 4 to 6 years).
If traveling internationally, Schauer said people should try to get fully vaccinated at least two weeks before travel, so the body has time to build up immunity. If you've been exposed to measles, you should try to get vaccinated within 72 hours of exposure to reduce risk of infection.
Schauer added that MMR vaccine has been continually monitored for safety and efficacy since it was first administered more than 50 years ago. To date, more than 575 million doses of the vaccine has been administered globally.
"We want parents to feel reassured that this is a vaccine that can provide protection," she said. "Your grandparents may have received this, then your parents, and now it's time to make sure that your children are protected or that you are protected.'
The MMR vaccine is available at area doctor's offices or clinics, local health departments, and some local pharmacies. Locate vaccine providers near you using vaccines.gov.
If you do not have health insurance, or your insurance may not cover vaccines, the state's Vaccines for Children and Vaccines for Adults provides free vaccines.
If you are unsure of your vaccine history, you can check it on the Wisconsin Immunization Registry.
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: What's the risk of measles in Wisconsin in 2025?
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
17 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Texas Woman Dies From Brain-Eating Amoeba After Using RV Tap Water For Sinus Rinse
A Texas woman died from a rare and deadly brain infection after using unboiled tap water from an RV's water system for nasal irrigation while staying at a campground, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The 71-year-old woman, who was healthy before the infection, used a nasal irrigation device with tap water from the RV's water system several times over four days. Within four days of her last use, she developed severe neurological symptoms, including fever, headache, and altered mental status, the CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report stated. She developed seizures and died eight days after symptoms began. Laboratory testing confirmed Naegleria fowleri in her cerebrospinal fluid, indicating primary amebic meningoencephalitis (PAM), a disease with a fatality rate exceeding 97%. Naegleria fowleri, commonly known as the 'brain-eating amoeba,' is a free-living organism found in warm freshwater environments like lakes, rivers, and hot springs. Infections occur when contaminated water enters the nose, allowing the amoeba to travel to the brain. From 1962 to 2022, the U.S. reported 157 (primary amebic meningoencephalitis) PAM cases, with Texas accounting for 39. While most cases are linked to recreational water activities, nasal irrigation with contaminated water is a known risk. The CDC noted that the woman had no recent exposure to natural bodies of water, suggesting the RV's water system was the likely source of infection. The RV's water tank had been filled before the woman purchased it three months before her death, but the filling location is unknown. No samples from the campsite or RV water system tested positive for the amoeba, leaving the exact source of contamination unclear. The CDC emphasized that only distilled, sterile, or previously boiled water should be used for nasal rinsing, as tap water, even if safe for drinking, may contain organisms harmful when introduced into the nasal passages. To prevent PAM, the CDC recommends holding your nose or wearing a nose clip when diving into freshwater, keeping your head above water in hot springs, avoiding digging in shallow water, and using boiled or distilled water for nasal irrigation. The specific Texas campground where the infection occurred was not disclosed. This case underscores the critical need for public awareness about safe water use for nasal irrigation to prevent such rare but devastating infections.
CNN
an hour ago
- CNN
Salmonella outbreak linked to eggs sickens dozens of people across 7 states
More than 70 people across seven states have been sickened due to a salmonella outbreak linked to eggs recalled by a California-based egg distributor, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. On Friday, the August Egg Company recalled 1.7 million dozen brown cage-free and brown certified organic eggs, sold under multiple brand names, that have the 'potential to be contaminated,' according to a recall notice from the US Food and Drug Administration. Of the 79 people sickened, 21 people have been hospitalized and no deaths have been reported, the CDC said. The eggs were sold to restaurants and retailers in Arizona, California, Illinois, Indiana, Nebraska, New Mexico, Nevada, Washington and Wyoming, according to the CDC. They were distributed at retail locations including Walmart, Save Mart, FoodMaxx, Lucky, Smart & Final, Safeway, Raleys, Food 4 Less and Ralphs. Salmonella can 'cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children, frail or elderly people, and others with weakened immune systems,' according to the FDA. Salmonella can also cause fever, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting and abdominal pain in healthy people who get infected. 'August Egg Company is not selling fresh shell eggs at this time. Our firm has voluntarily been diverting eggs to an egg-breaking plant for over 30 days, which pasteurizes the eggs and kills any potential foodborne pathogens,' the company said in a statement provided to the FDA. 'It is important to know that when our processing plant identified this concern, we immediately began diverting all eggs from the plant to an egg-breaking facility, which pasteurizes the eggs and kills any pathogens.' The company also said its internal food safety team is 'conducting its own stringent review' to identify future preventative measures. 'We are committed to addressing this matter fully and to implementing all necessary corrective actions to ensure this does not happen again,' the company said. The CDC recommends that anyone who has the recalled eggs in their home or business throw them out or return them to the store where they were purchased.
CBS News
an hour ago
- CBS News
Salmonella outbreak tied to eggs makes dozens sick across 7 states in the West and Midwest
A salmonella outbreak linked to a large egg recall has made dozens of people sick in seven states in the West and Midwest, federal health officials said Saturday. The August Egg Company recalled about 1.7 million brown organic and brown cage-free egg varieties distributed to grocery stores between February and May because of the potential for salmonella, according to an announcement posted Friday on the Food and Drug Administration's website. At least 79 people in seven states have gotten a strain of salmonella that was linked to the eggs, and 21 people have been hospitalized, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said. The recall covers Arizona, California, Illinois, Indiana, Nebraska, New Mexico, Nevada, Washington and Wyoming. Plant code numbers for the recalled eggs are P-6562 or CA5330, according to the CDC's website. This Centers for Disease Control and Prevention map shows the locations of people affected by a Salmonella outbreak linked to eggs. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention "August Egg Company's internal food safety team also is conducting its own stringent review to identify what measures can be established to prevent this situation from recurring," according to comments posted from the company on the FDA's website. "We are committed to addressing this matter fully and to implementing all necessary corrective actions to ensure this does not happen again." Symptoms of salmonella poisoning include diarrhea, fever, severe vomiting, dehydration and stomach cramps. Most people who get sick recover within a week. Infections can be severe in young children, older adults and people with weakened immune systems, who may require hospitalization. The CDC advises people to throw away recalled eggs or return them to the store where they were purchased. Consumers should also wash and disinfect any surfaces that came in contact with the eggs. This is the latest in a string of salmonella-related outbreaks recently involving food. A tomato recall affecting three southern states was upgraded to a Class I recall, the most severe warning by the Food and Drug Administration. The recall was first announced in May over potential salmonella contamination. Also, nearly four dozen people across 18 states are sick with salmonella food poisoning tied to recalled cucumbers, according to federal health officials. In an update, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the expanding outbreak led to at least 16 people being hospitalized.
