What you need to know about the measles outbreak
Measles outbreaks in Texas and New Mexico, which have already seen one death, have many Americans wondering whether they are at risk and how cautious they should be.
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is warning that global measles outbreaks increase the likelihood of cases among unvaccinated travelers. This is something the center saw on Feb. 19 with a patient in California who returned from Asia.
So far, according to the CDC, there have been 165 reported cases of measles in 2025, 93% of which have been described as “outbreak-associated.”
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The CDC defines an “outbreak” as three or more related cases of the illness.
Measles cases were reported in Alaska, California, Georgia, Kentucky, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York City, Rhode Island and Texas, as of Feb. 27.
“Measles is the most contagious respiratory virus on the planet earth,” Fox News Senior Medical Analyst Dr. Marc Siegel said on Saturday morning.
Siegel said the outbreak is “occurring clearly because of low vaccination rates.” Therefore, Dr. Siegel says he is “not concerned” about those vaccinated against the measles “at all right now.”
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According to Siegel, while many associate the measles with a bright red rash, that symptom only shows up five days into the virus. He says the key symptoms to look out for are fever, stuffy nose, aches and pains and red eyes. The doctor also mentioned that it is possible for those infected with measles to get sores in their mouths.
When asked by Fox News Digital whether measles could become the next COVID, Siegel cast doubt and emphasized the importance of MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccines.
“If you got both shots, you’re 97% protected against measles,” Siegel said when appearing on Fox News Channel.
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The CDC is warning that global measles outbreaks increase the likelihood of cases among unvaccinated travelers. This is something the center saw on Feb. 19 with a patient in California who returned from Asia.
“As a doctor and mother, I’d say Americans should absolutely keep an eye on measles—it’s not just a relic of the past,” Fox News Channel contributor Dr. Nicole Saphier told Fox News Digital. “With vaccination rates dipping in some areas, we’re seeing preventable outbreaks pop up, and this disease spreads like wildfire in unvaccinated pockets.”
Saphier also emphasized that the complications “aren’t trivial, especially for kids under five and pregnant women.” These complications include pneumonia, encephalitis and even death.
“That said, if you’re vaccinated and otherwise healthy, your risk is extremely low; the real worry is for those who aren’t,” Saphier told Fox News Digital.
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The CDC says that HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has spoken with Texas Governor Abbott, Commissioner of the Texas Department of State Health Services Dr. Jennifer A. Shuford, and other public health officials. Additionally, according to the CDC, HHS is helping both Texas and New Mexico battle the outbreaks.
The Texas Department of Health and Human Services and the New Mexico Department of Health both say that the best way to avoid the virus is to get two doses of the MMR vaccine. Public health officials in both states have been tracking their respective outbreaks and are posting updates on their websites.