WASHINGTON, March 15: The United States has seen a significant rise in measles cases, with 301 confirmed cases reported so far this year, according to the latest data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The outbreak has spread across 15 jurisdictions, leading to 50 hospitalizations and two fatalities.

Texas has been particularly hard hit, accounting for 259 of the confirmed cases since January. Health officials in the state have expressed growing concern over the rapid spread of the disease, with 34 patients requiring hospitalization. The Texas Department of State Health Services has warned that the highly contagious nature of measles means further infections are likely in both outbreak zones and surrounding communities.

Measles, a viral disease, spreads through airborne transmission when an infected person coughs or sneezes. The initial symptoms include fever, cough, runny nose, and red eyes, followed by a characteristic rash that spreads across the body. In severe cases, measles can lead to complications such as pneumonia, brain swelling, and even death.

Health authorities continue to emphasize vaccination as the most effective way to prevent measles. The CDC strongly recommends two doses of the MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccine, which has proven highly effective in preventing the disease.

In addition to the rise in cases in the US, Europe has also experienced a sharp increase in measles infections. The region recorded 127,350 cases in 2024, more than double the total from 2023 and the highest annual figure since 1997. A joint analysis by the World Health Organization (WHO) and UNICEF revealed that over 40% of cases in Europe were among children under the age of five.

The European Region, which includes 53 countries across Europe and Central Asia, accounted for 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.

Measles cases in Europe have fluctuated over the years. After declining from over 216,000 cases in 1997 to a low of 4,440 cases in 2016, numbers began to rise again in 2018 and 2019, with 89,000 and 106,000 cases, respectively. The recent surge is largely attributed to a drop in immunization coverage during the COVID-19 pandemic, contributing to a significant rise in cases in 2023 and 2024.

Health experts continue to urge widespread vaccination efforts to curb the resurgence of measles and prevent further outbreaks globally.