TAMPA, Fla. — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is issuing a Health Alert Network (HAN) Health Advisory to notify clinicians, public health officials, and potential travelers about a measles outbreak in Texas and New Mexico.
As of March 6, 2025, a total of 222 measles cases were reported by 12 states: Alaska, California, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York City, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas, and Washington.
On Monday, Maryland Department of Health reported a Howard County resident tested positive for measles after returning from international travel.
"Measles is of course one of the most infectious viruses on the planet," said Dr. Jill Roberts, an associate professor with USF College of Public Health.
According to the Florida Department of Health, in some cases, measles may cause severe illnesses including pneumonia or encephalitis. While encephalitis is rare, this swelling of the brain requires hospitalization and intensive treatment. It can cause seizures, hallucinations, permanent brain damage, blindness, hearing loss, and memory loss.
Measles symptoms appear 7 to 14 days after contact with the virus and include high fever up to 105° F, red, watery eyes, cough, and runny nose.
The most common symptom of measles is a rash that often develops on the face and neck, but can spread to the entire body. Measles rash appears 3 to 5 days after the first symptoms.
Dr. Jill Roberts, an associate professor with USF College of Public Health, worries about the population losing herd immunity.
So far this year, Florida reported its first case of measles in a high school student at Palmetto Senior High School.
"If we don't have 95% of vaccination rates, we lose herd immunity so many, many communities have lost herd immunity. We looked up the numbers in Miami the other day when the case occurred. It was only 91% coverage so they've lost herd immunity in Miami which means the vaccine has to be increased," said Dr. Roberts.
According to the Florida Department of Health, those with a prior history of infection or who have received the full series of the Measles, Mumps, Rubella (MMR) immunization are 98% protected and are unlikely to contract measles.
Measles spreads through the air when an infected person breathes, coughs, or sneezes. Measles can remain infectious in the air and on surfaces for up to two hours after an infected person leaves an area. If 10 individuals without immunity come in contact with measles, up to 9 of them will contract the disease.
"We have a lot of misinformation out there saying measles is not dangerous, that it's a normal childhood disease. We don't make vaccines just because it's fun. We make a vaccine because a disease is dangerous," said Dr. Roberts.
More information on measles at this link
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