Louisiana, Virginia and Missouri all reported their first measles cases of 2025 this weekend, with at least 27 states reporting at least one case. All three cases were linked to international travel.
Louisiana reported the state’s first measles case on Saturday in an adult with international travel.
The patient was not vaccinated and lived in the greater New Orleans area, according to the Louisiana Health Department.
Health officials are working to identify anyone who may have been exposed.
MORE: US measles infections hit 800 cases across 24 states
The patient was not hospitalized and will remain in isolation until no longer infectious, the Department said.
Virginia reported its first case of measles on Saturday as well, in a child under 4 years old who recently traveled internationally, according to the Virginia Department of Health.
To protect the family’s privacy, no other information will be released, the VDH said in a statement. It’s not clear if the child was vaccinated.
“This first case of measles in Virginia this year is a reminder of how easily this highly contagious disease can spread, particularly with international travel,” said VDH State Epidemiologist Laurie Forlano.
On Friday, Missouri reported the state’s first case of measles in 2025, in a child who is an international traveler with unknown vaccination status, according to the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services.
No other cases have been identified, and health officials have alerted those who may have been exposed.
The U.S. measles outbreak has reached 800 confirmed cases, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported Friday.
MORE: Measles cases linked to Texas outbreak reach 561, with 20 new infections confirmed
The current outbreak in Texas has claimed two lives, with a third death under investigation in New Mexico, according to state health officials. The surge in cases is nearly triple the total number reported in 2024, when the nation recorded 285 cases.If this year’s cases continue to grow at the current rate, the U.S. could surpass the 2019 total of 1,274 cases, potentially reaching the highest level since 1992, per data.Six states are currently battling significant outbreaks, defined as three or more related cases: Texas, New Mexico, Ohio, Kansas, Indiana, and Michigan.
Health officials report that 96% of this year’s cases have occurred in unvaccinated individuals or those with unknown vaccination status.Measles is a highly contagious viral infection that spreads through coughing and sneezing. According to the CDC, the virus can live up to two hours in the air after an infected person leaves a room.
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