Washington, May 10 (UNI) The number of measles cases in the United States has reached 1,001 with 30 US states currently affected, according to new data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
"As of May 8, 2025, a total of 1,001 confirmed measles cases were reported by 31 jurisdictions," CDC said in its latest update.
Washington, Texas, New York, Florida and California are among the 30 states affected.
"There have been 14 outbreaks (defined as 3 or more related cases) reported in 2025, and 93% of confirmed cases (928 of 1,001) are outbreak-associated. For comparison, 16 outbreaks were reported during 2024 and 69% of cases (198 of 285) were outbreak-associated," CDC specified on Friday.
CDC said that 30% of the cases (299) are children under the age of five. There have been 126 hospitalizations (13% of cases) and three confirmed deaths from measles in 2025.
In April, the World Health Organization (WHO) said that over 2,300 measles cases, including three deaths, had been recorded in the Americas since January 1, which is an 11-fold increase compared with the same period last year.
A Stanford University study published in the JAMA Network Open scientific journal said that the United States could face an outbreak of a measles epidemic with over 850,000 cases within 25 years if vaccination rates remain the same, but if they decline by even 10%, the number of cases could exceed 11 million.
Measles is a highly contagious viral disease that is spread through airborne droplets. Young children are most at risk for serious complications, including death. Vaccination against measles is highly effective, with 97% of those vaccinated never contracting the disease. Conversely, an unvaccinated person has an almost 100% chance of becoming infected upon first contact with a carrier.
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