The United States has recorded 301 confirmed measles cases so far this year, according to the latest data released by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The outbreak has spread across 15 jurisdictions, with 50 individuals requiring hospitalization and two fatalities reported.
Texas has been the hardest hit, accounting for 259 of the confirmed cases since January. Health officials in the state have raised concerns over the rapid spread, with 34 patients needing hospital care. The Texas Department of State Health Services has cautioned that, due to measles’ highly contagious nature, further infections are likely in both outbreak zones and surrounding communities.
Measles is a highly infectious viral disease that spreads through airborne transmission when an infected person coughs or sneezes. Initial symptoms include fever, cough, runny nose, and red eyes, followed by a characteristic rash that spreads across the body. In severe cases, the disease can lead to complications such as pneumonia, brain swelling, and even death.
Health authorities stress that vaccination remains the most effective way to prevent measles. The CDC strongly recommends two doses of the MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccine, which has been proven highly effective in preventing the disease.
Meanwhile, Europe has also seen a sharp rise in measles cases. In 2024, the region recorded 127,350 infections—more than double the figure from 2023 and the highest annual total since 1997. According to a joint analysis by the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF, children under the age of five accounted for over 40% of reported cases.
The European Region, which includes 53 countries across Europe and Central Asia, made up a third of all global measles cases in 2024. More than half of those infected required hospitalization, and 38 deaths were reported as of early March 2025.
Historically, measles cases in Europe have been in decline since 1997, when over 216,000 cases were recorded. Numbers hit a low of 4,440 cases in 2016 before resurging in 2018 and 2019, with 89,000 and 106,000 cases respectively. However, a drop in immunization coverage during the Covid-19 pandemic has led to another dramatic rise in cases in recent years, with a significant increase observed in 2023 and 2024.
Health experts continue to urge widespread vaccination efforts to curb the resurgence of measles and prevent further outbreaks.
— IANS
