Louisiana, Virginia, and Missouri all reported their first measles cases in 2025 this weekend, with at least 27 states reporting at least one case. All three cases involved international travel.
Louisiana reported its first measles case on Saturday, involving an adult who had traveled internationally.
The patient was not immunized and resided in the greater New Orleans area, according to the Louisiana Health Department.
Health officials are working to identify anyone who could have been exposed.
The patient was not hospitalized and will remain isolated until he or she is no longer infectious, according to the Department.
The Virginia Department of Health also reported its first case of measles on Saturday, in a child under the age of four who had recently traveled internationally.
The VDH stated that no additional information will be released to protect the family’s privacy. It’s unclear whether the child was vaccinated.
“This first case of measles in Virginia this year is a reminder of how easily this highly contagious disease can spread, particularly with international travel,” said VDH State Epidemiologist Laurie Forlano.
Missouri reported its first measles case in 2025 on Friday, in a child who is an international traveler with unknown vaccination status, according to the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services.
No other cases have been identified, and health officials have notified anyone who may have been exposed.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported on Friday that the measles outbreak in the United States had reached 800 confirmed cases.
The current outbreak in Texas has claimed two lives, with a third death being investigated in New Mexico, according to state health officials. The increase in cases is nearly three times the total number reported in 2024, when the nation recorded 285 cases.
If this year’s cases continue to rise at the current rate, the United States could surpass the 2019 total of 1,274 cases, potentially reaching its highest level since 1992, according to data.
Six states are currently dealing with significant outbreaks, defined as three or more related cases: Texas, New Mexico, Ohio, Kansas, Indiana, and Michigan.
According to health officials, 96% of this year’s cases have occurred in people who have not been vaccinated or whose vaccination status is unknown. Measles is a highly contagious viral infection transmitted through coughing and sneezing. According to the CDC, the virus can survive for up to two hours in the air after an infected person leaves a room.
