U.S. CDC reports five-fold increase in weekly measles cases

A sign is seen outside of Seminole Hospital District offering measles testing Friday, Feb. 21, 2025, in Seminole, Texas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez) (Julio Cortez/AP)

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Friday reported that measles cases so far this year had jumped to 93 from 14 a week ago, mainly driven by an outbreak in Texas.

An outbreak in Gaines County, Texas, where cases have now risen to 57 from 22 on February 11, has raised concerns over its spread to other parts of the state. Texas reported 90 cases overall as of Friday.

The Texas Department of State Health Services reiterated from last week that more cases of the highly contagious disease were likely to surface due to an outbreak in Gaines County.

The CDC said cases were reported from Alaska, California, Georgia, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York City, Rhode Island and Texas.

It added that 95 per cent of the cases were in individuals who either had not been vaccinated or had an unknown status, with 4 per cent of the total patients receiving one dose of the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine, and none getting the two doses the agency recommends.

Out of all the cases in the country, 28 were in children below the age of two, and 48 were in individuals between five and 19 years old.

Measles was declared eliminated in the United States in 2000, meaning there was no continuous transmission of the disease for a year. The virus can spread via travelers from countries where measles is common.

The CDC said there have been three outbreaks reported in 2025. For comparison, there were 16 outbreaks during 2024, with a total 285 cases reported.

In recent years, federal health officials have attributed some outbreaks to parents refusing to vaccinate children.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr, a vaccine critic, was confirmed as Secretary of Health and Human Services last week, overcoming resistance from the medical establishment and some members of Congress.

Kennedy, however, has pledged to protect existing vaccination programs.

(Reporting by Puyaan Singh in Bengaluru; Editing by Alan Barona)