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The U.S. measles outbreak is growing. Here's what to know

An illustration of the measles virus showing giant multinucleated cells, or Warthin-Finkeldey cells. These cells are found in hyperplastic lymph nodes early in the course of a measles infection.
Kateryna Kon/Science Photo Library
/
Getty Images
An illustration of the measles virus showing giant multinucleated cells, or Warthin-Finkeldey cells. These cells are found in hyperplastic lymph nodes early in the course of a measles infection.

Measles cases are on the rise in the United States.

The Pan American Health Organization declared the disease eliminated in 2000, thanks to widespread vaccination efforts by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But it's still an issue globally, which means an unvaccinated person could catch the highly infectious disease abroad and bring it back to the United States. And declining vaccination rates, particularly in young children, are causing public health officials to worry about the impact of emerging outbreaks.

That's the case in West Texas and New Mexico, where a growing measles outbreak now numbers around 300 confirmed cases — more than the total number of measles cases reported in the U.S. in all of 2024.

Right now, NPR health correspondent Maria Godoy says that the Texas outbreak is still limited to remote rural areas where vaccination rates are low. But measles is highly contagious – more infectious than COVID-19, smallpox, or even Ebola. So, if an infected person travels to another community with low vaccination rates, that person could potentially sow another outbreak upon returning.

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This episode was produced by Hannah Chinn and edited by Rebecca Ramirez and Jane Greenhalgh. It was fact-checked by Tyler Jones. The audio engineer was Jimmy Keeley.

Copyright 2025 NPR

Maria Godoy is a senior science and health editor and correspondent with NPR News. Her reporting can be heard across NPR's news shows and podcasts. She is also one of the hosts of NPR's Life Kit.
Hannah Chinn
Hannah Chinn (they/them) is a producer on NPR's science podcast Short Wave. Prior to joining Short Wave, they produced Good Luck Media's inaugural "climate thriller" podcast. Before that, they worked on Spotify & Gimlet Media shows such as Conviction, How to Save a Planet and Reply All. Previous pit stops also include WHYY, as well as Willamette Week and The Philadelphia Inquirer. In between, they've worked a number of non-journalism gigs at various vintage stores, coffee shops and haunted houses.
Regina G. Barber
Regina G. Barber is Short Wave's Scientist in Residence. She contributes original reporting on STEM and guest hosts the show.
Rebecca Ramirez (she/her) is the founding producer of NPR's daily science podcast, Short Wave. It's a meditation in how to be a Swiss Army Knife, in that it involves a little of everything — background research, finding and booking sources, interviewing guests, writing, cutting the tape, editing, scoring ... you get the idea.
Jane Greenhalgh is a senior producer and editor on NPR's Science Desk.