The Brief

It’s the second consecutive year that the U.S. is reporting a rise in cases.

North Dakota becomes 11th state in US with measles outbreak

North Dakota is the 11th state in the U.S. with a measles outbreak , logging its first cases since 2011.

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the U.S. has reached 935 cases of measles in an outbreak that started three months ago.

The outbreak in Texas accounts for the vast majority of cases, with 702 confirmed as of Tuesday.

Since February, two unvaccinated people have died from measles-related causes. A school-age child died of measles in Texas in late February, and New Mexico reported its first measles-related death in an adult on March 6.

Other states with measles outbreaks include Indiana, Kansas, Michigan, Montana, New Mexico, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania and Tennessee.

Measles cases surge

Already, the U.S. has more measles cases this year than in all of 2024, the CDC has said.

Measles is a highly contagious virus that can survive in the air for up to two hours.

Up to 9 out of 10 people who are susceptible will get the virus if exposed, according to the CDC.

Before the vaccine was introduced in 1963, the U.S. saw some 3 million to 4 million cases per year. Now, it’s usually fewer than 200 in a normal year.

It is preventable through vaccines, and has been considered eliminated from the U.S. since 2000.

Do I need measles vaccine?

The best way to avoid measles is to get the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine.

The first shot is recommended for children between 12 and 15 months old and the second between 4 and 6 years old.

People at high risk for infection who got the shots many years ago may want to consider getting a booster if they live in an area with an outbreak, said Scott Weaver with the Global Virus Network, an international coalition. Those may include family members living with someone who has measles or those especially vulnerable to respiratory diseases because of underlying medical conditions.

Adults with "presumptive evidence of immunity" generally don’t need measles shots now, the CDC said. Criteria include written documentation of adequate vaccination earlier in life, lab confirmation of past infection or being born before 1957, when most people were likely to be infected naturally.

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A doctor can order a lab test called an MMR titer to check your levels of measles antibodies, but health experts don't always recommend this route and insurance coverage can vary.

Getting another MMR shot is harmless if there are concerns about waning immunity, the CDC said.

People who have documentation of receiving a live measles vaccine in the 1960s don’t need to be revaccinated, but people who were immunized before 1968 with an ineffective measles vaccine made from "killed" virus should be revaccinated with at least one dose, the agency said. That also includes people who don’t know which type they received.

What are measles symptoms?

Measles first infects the respiratory tract, then spreads throughout the body, causing a high fever, runny nose, cough, red, watery eyes and a rash.

The rash generally appears three to five days after the first symptoms, beginning as flat red spots on the face and then spreading downward to the neck, trunk, arms, legs and feet. When the rash appears, the fever may spike over 104 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the CDC.

Most kids will recover from measles, but infection can lead to dangerous complications such as pneumonia, blindness, brain swelling and death.

How can you treat measles?

There’s no specific treatment for measles, so doctors generally try to alleviate symptoms, prevent complications and keep patients comfortable.