US exceeds 700 measles cases as officials struggle to contain outbreaks
The U.S. reached a grim milestone Friday surpassing 700 confirmed measles cases in 2025, according to figures posted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Thirty-two percent of cases occurred in patients under 5 while 38% were reported in those between 5 and 19, according to the agency.
As of Friday, the CDC reported 79 hospitalizations, including 45 patients who were under 5. Most measles cases, 97%, occurred in unvaccinated patients or whose vaccination status is unknown.
So far, the agency has reported cases in two dozen states. More than 540 measles cases have been reported in Texas, according to the state’s health department, where two unvaccinated children with no underlying health conditions have died, including an 8-year-old girl.
Cases in Gaines County, the center of the outbreak, rose to 355.
With only four months into the year, the country’s current outbreaks have eclipsed the 285 measles cases that were reported in 2024.
Contributing: Reuters.