Update on the U.S. Measles Outbreak

Mar 31, 2025

Not gonna lie to y’all – things are feeling a bit bleak.

Here we are in March 2025, and we have just surpassed the total number of measles cases in the entirety of 2024. So what’s going on?

First of all, measles is one of the most contagious pathogens known to mankind. Far more contagious than the flu or COVID-19. Prior to the measles vaccine, a single measles patient could spread the virus to up to 18 other people.

So in an unvaccinated, uncautious community, that kind of exponential spread is horrifying (1 patient infects 18, those 18 infect 324, those 324 infect 5,832… see how fast those numbers rise?).

Luckily, thanks to the MMR vaccine, we aren’t seeing this outbreak spread like it would have in 19th century Manhattan, but dwindling vaccination rates in the United States are allowing more and more cases, exceeding 480 cases at the close of this past week. The pre-vaccine world also didn’t have mass utilization of air travel.

Of the 480+ cases, about 400 have been in Texas (with fatalities), but there are also cases in Alaska, California, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, and Washington. And I don’t doubt that the number of cases and states will likely expand by the time many of you read this.

Looking at that map, it is abundantly clear that a national response is needed to quell this public health disaster in the making.

But the CDC response to this outbreak has been lackluster. In an article released by ProPublica, it appears leaders at the CDC squashed a statement urging mass immunization – the only tangible, effective strategy to protect people from this virus.

Update on the U.S. Measles Outbreak

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