United States of America — Measles cases in two American states continue to rise, already surpassing last year’s record, says state health departments.
As of March 21, 2025, the combined measles cases recorded in Texas and New Mexico rose to 351, citing 34 new cases since their reports three days before.
According to U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), this tally has already surpassed last year’s record of 285 infections nationwide.
This number is apart from the March 20 record of 370 combined confirmed cases in 18 jurisdictions including Alaska, California, Florida, Georgia, Ohio, and Pennsylvania.
Health experts said that these recorded outbreaks in the United States are attributed to the lower vaccination rate on children.
Research fellow Richard Reithinger noted a 95% decline in the overall vaccination coverage for measles, particularly in states that have vaccine exemption—Texas included.
CDC reminded the public that the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine is the most important tool for preventing measles.
Despite the rising cases, the CDC said that a potential risk of measles spread in the United States remained low.