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North Dakota Becomes the Latest State to Report Measles Outbreak

Medically reviewed by Carmen Pope, BPharm. Last updated on May 9, 2025.

By Stephanie Brown HealthDay Reporter

THURSDAY, May 8, 2025 -- North Dakota is the latest state to find itself dealing with a measles outbreak, becoming the 11th state in the nation to face the challenge, the Associated Press is reporting.

According to the North Dakota Department of Health and Human Services, all nine cases were recorded in Williams County in Western North Dakota. Three of the confirmed cases are linked to the first case of an unvaccinated child who may have contracted the virus via an out-of-state visitor. Five cases were in individuals who were not vaccinated and did not have contact with the other cases, causing concern about community transmission.

A total of 935 cases of measles have been reported so far this year in the United States, according to the most current numbers from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That is more than triple the number of cases seen in all of 2024. Most of the cases were reported in children (30 percent younger than 5 years and 38 percent 5 to 19 years old). There have been 121 hospitalizations and three confirmed deaths. Ninety-six percent of infections were in individuals who were unvaccinated or had unknown vaccination status; 2 percent had received one dose of the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine and 2 percent had received two doses.

The three-month outbreak in Texas accounts for the vast majority of the measles cases, with 702 confirmed as of Tuesday. Kansas reports a total of 48 cases and New Mexico reports 67. Other states with active outbreaks -- defined as three or more related cases -- include Indiana, Michigan, Montana, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, and Tennessee.

Other states that have recorded measles cases are Alaska, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, and Washington.

Associated Press Article

Disclaimer: Statistical data in medical articles provide general trends and do not pertain to individuals. Individual factors can vary greatly. Always seek personalized medical advice for individual healthcare decisions.

© 2025 HealthDay. All rights reserved.

Posted May 2025

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