Topline
As an outbreak of the diarrhea-inducing illness cyclosporiasis grows this month, the spread of measles in the U.S. this year is outpacing the case count for the entirety of 2025, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which reported this week that cases of the highly contagious disease has reached 2,231.
The measles virus, paramyxoviridae from the Morbillivirus family, transmission microscopy view.
Photo by: BSIP/Universal Images Group via Getty Images
Key Facts
The 2,231 cases were confirmed as of July 9, according to CDC data, meaning the U.S. is just 58 cases away from logging the 2025 total.
Similar to last year, children ages five to 19 are most affected by the illness, with 1,122 cases.
The CDC has found 93% of this year’s cases are linked to people who are unvaccinated or whose vaccination status is unknown.
Measles has caused 140 hospitalizations this year, the CDC reported, noting no deaths have been recorded.
What States Are Most Impacted By Measles This Year?
South Carolina has reported 670 measles cases and is followed by Utah (516), Texas (182), Virginia (176), Florida (141) and Pennsylvania (103).
What Are Measles Symptoms?
Measles is characterized by fever, rash, cough, fatigue, red eyes and runny nose, with symptoms generally appearing 10 to 14 days after exposure—though they can also appear as late as 21 days after exposure. The illness can spread through coughs, sneezes and infected surfaces. It is also capable of lingering in the air and on surfaces for up to two hours.
The Cyclosporiasis Outbreak
Cyclosporiasis, a parasitic illness that causes diarrhea, has infected well over 1,500 people in the U.S., with an outbreak centered in Michigan. A total of 31 states have reported cases, though Michigan, New York, Ohio and North Carolina have logged the majority of cases. See more information about cyclosporiasis here.
Key Background
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. played down an outbreak of measles that began last year in Texas, saying it was “not unusual.” He also supported the supervised use of vitamin A to treat the illness. However, as cases increased, Kennedy, a vaccine skeptic, said the “most effective way to prevent the spread of measles is the MMR vaccine.” The measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine has been available for over 50 years and is 97% effective at preventing measles with the standard two-dose schedule and 93% effective with one dose. Last year’s outbreak resulted in three deaths, the first of which marked the first recorded death from measles in the U.S. in a decade.