The state with the highest number of measles cases as data shows unprecedented surge across US
The U.S. is seeing a rise in measles cases that is unprecedented in the 21st century. In 2000, the disease was declared eliminated around the country.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has reported more than 1,600 cases of measles, as of Oct. 14, the highest number of annual cases since the U.S. declared measles 'eliminated' in 2000.
In 2025, more than 1,300 cases were linked to various measles outbreaks in different states, and 216 isolated cases have been reported.
With only 285 cases reported in 2024, this year's numbers mark a 460% increase in cases. The Mirror US has analyzed the data which points to an unprecedented trend in the 21st century.
In 2024, Minnesota and Illinois reported the highest cases—65 and 67, respectively. With more than 803 cases reported, Texas had the highest number of cases during this year's outbreak.
2025 has surpassed case counts since 2000
In 2019, measles infected 1,274 people around the country, including large outbreaks in Orthodox Jewish communities in New York. This year, the case count has surpassed that of 2019.
The outbreaks started late January this year and spiked in March when 115 cases were reported in the country in one week. Only 11 cases were reported during the second week of October.
The Mirror US is tracking cases nationwide and will be updating this piece as the CDC releases new data every Wednesday.
Texas - the state with the highest cases
Many infections were connected to an outbreak in West Texas, which began in late January. Two children, who weren't vaccinated against the disease, died.
Gaines County reported 414 cases alone.
The outbreak quickly escalated. Measles spread into neighboring counties and infected at least 762 people in West Texas.
State health officials declared the outbreak in West Texas over on Aug. 18, after no new cases were reported in the previous eight weeks, and stopped updating its dashboard.
41 cases were recorded outside of West Texas in the state.
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According to Texas Department of Health Services, more than 500 children children and teenagers were affected, nearly all of whom were unvaccinated or had an unknown vaccination status.
State and local health officials confirmed the first patient who died was an unvaccinated school-aged child, and the second was an unvaccinated 8-year-old girl. Neither of the children had underlying health conditions, the Texas health department said.
According to CDC data, the last measles-related death in the U.S. before this year occurred in 2019, when a 37-year-old man in California died from measles complicated by meningitis.
New Mexico also reported the death of an adult with measles.
Health experts point to lower vaccination rates as a reason for increases in preventable diseases like the measles.
Ninety two percent of all cases this year are reported in individuals that are either unvaccinated or have an unknown vaccination status.
CDC data shows that about 93% of U.S. kindergarteners were vaccinated against measles during the 2021–2022 school year, dropping slightly to 92.7% in 2023–2024. That’s down from 95.2% in 2019–2020, the critical threshold needed to maintain community protection.
"When more than 95% of people in a community are vaccinated, most people are protected through community immunity (herd immunity)," the CDC states.