The number of measles cases in west Texas and New Mexico is rising, new data shows – even as officials work to contain an outbreak that sprang up two months ago.
There have been more measles cases in the US during the first three months of 2025, than in all of 2024, according the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
As of Friday, there are 309 cases in Texas and one measles-related death in the state. In New Mexico, cases have risen to 42, with one measles-related death.
While there are more cases of the virus, there is some good news: More people are getting the measles, mumps and rubella vaccination this year than last year.
According to the CDC, a federal public health agency, the last time measles numbers were this high in the US was 2019 when the annual total was 1,274. But the number of cases each year from 2020 through 2023 were all lower than the number of cases in the first three months of 2025.
The MMR vaccine is the most effective way to fight off the dangerous virus, which can lead to pneumonia, brain swelling and death. The jabs are 97% effective and also immunise against mumps and rubella.
Since the outbreak began, more people are reportedly getting the vaccine.
Between 1 February and 18 March last year, the New Mexico Department of Health registered 6,500 measles vaccines, the Associated Press reported. In the same time period this year, more than 11,600 measles vaccines were administered in the state.
Between 1 January and 16 March, Texas gave at least 173, 000 measles doses compared to last year’s 158,000 in the same time period, state health department data shows.
Besides the outbreak spreading in Texas and New Mexico, measles cases were reported in other states and across Canada, as well.
So far this year in Canada there have been 224 measles cases, 173 confirmed and 51 probable, the government said.
But the epicentre remains in western Texas and neighbouring New Mexico, where two unvaccinated people have died from the virus this year.
While the disease was declared eliminated 25 years ago, the US still sees outbreaks, which are defined as three or more related cases.
The two deaths were jarring to many in a country that, before last week, had not recorded a measles death since 2015. The 2015 death was the first attributed to virus in the US since 2003.
In mid-April, CDC officials are expected to discuss the growing outbreak at a public meeting of its independent vaccine advisory panel.
