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A total of 935 confirmed measles cases have been reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) by 30 states and jurisdictions — more than triple the number reported in all of 2024, according to the agency's latest report.
At least 12 outbreaks (three or more connected cases) have been reported so far this year. A staggering 93 percent of cases (869 of 935) are linked to outbreaks, according to the CDC.
For comparison, 2024 saw 285 total cases and 16 outbreaks, with only 69 percent of those cases outbreak-related.
Here is a breakdown of confirmed measles cases by age group:
- Children under 5 years old: 285 cases (30 percent);
- Children and teens 5–19 years old: 353 cases (38 percent);
- Adults 20 years and older: 284 cases (30 percent);
- Unknown ages: 13 cases (1 percent).
A full 96 percent of reported cases were either unvaccinated or had unknown vaccination status.
Only 2 percent had received one dose of the MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccine, and another 2 percent had received two doses.
The CDC has confirmed three deaths from measles in 2025.
Measles spreads easily through coughing and sneezing.
Symptoms often start with a fever, runny nose, red eyes, and a cough, followed by a rash that begins on the face and spreads to the rest of the body, health officials said.
A person can be contagious four days before the rash appears and up to four days after.
Measles was once considered eliminated in the US, but health officials warn that declining vaccination rates could lead to more outbreaks — and more preventable deaths.
The CDC’s complete report from Friday, May 2, can be found here.
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