Although the CDC will update their numbers tomorrow, as of last Thursday they had recorded 222 measles cases in the United States in 2025.
Most have been centered in Texas and New Mexico, but sporadic cases have been reported in Alaska, California, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, New Jersey, New York City, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, and Washington.
This upward trajectory in measles cases has sparked considerable concern and has already been linked to two deaths and several dozen hospitalizations. Last Friday the CDC released HAN #00522: Expanding Measles Outbreak in Texas and New Mexico and Guidance for the Upcoming Travel Season.
Two weeks ago Los Angeles announced their first measles case of 2025; in a non-resident who arrived arrived on Korean Air flight KAL11/KE11 at the Tom Bradley International Airport (TBIT) Terminal B on February 19th.
Late yesterday they announced their first case in a county resident in more than a year. First their press release, after which I'll have a bit more.
March 11, 2025
Public Health Confirms Measles Case in Los Angeles County
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health has been notified of the first case of measles diagnosed in 2025 in a Los Angeles County resident that recently traveled through Los Angeles International Airport (LAX).
In collaboration with the Centers for Disease Control, passengers assigned to specific seats that may have been exposed on China Airlines flight CAL8/CI8 that arrived in Los Angeles on March 5 will be notified by local departments of health. These agencies work together to ivestigate communicable disease exposures on international flights to the United States.
Additionally, individuals who were at the following locations on the specified dates and times may be at risk of developing measles due to exposure to this individual:
· Wednesday, March 5 between 7 p.m. to 10:40 p.m.: Tom Bradley International Terminal (Terminal B) at the Los Angeles International (LAX) Airport· Friday, March 7, between 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.: Cloud 9 Nail Salon, 5142 N. Lankershim Blvd., North Hollywood, CA 91601
· Monday, March 10 between 8:15 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.: Superior Grocery Store, 10683 Valley Blvd., El Monte, CA 91731
Exposed individuals should confirm if they have been vaccinated against measles. If they have not had measles in the past and have not yet obtained the measles vaccine, they are at risk of contracting measles if they have been exposed. Unimmunized persons or those with unknown immunization status who were at this location during the date and times listed above are at risk of developing measles from 7 to 21 days after being exposed and should monitor for symptoms. Exposed individuals who have been free of symptoms for more than 21 days after exposure are no longer at risk.
“With measles outbreaks happening both in the United States and internationally, this recent case in our county highlights how important it is for anyone who has not been immunized to get the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine,” said Muntu Davis, MD, MPH, Los Angeles County Health Officer. “Measles spreads easily through the air and on surfaces, and a person infected with mealses can pass it on to others before they feel sick or have symptoms. Young children and those who are pregnant or have weakened immune systems are at a higher risk for life-threatening complications from infection. Getting the MMR vaccine is the best way to protect yourself and stop the spread of this dangerous disease.”
People who were in the locations above around the aforementioned times should:· Review their immunization and medical records to determine if they are protected against measles. People who have not had measles infection or received the measles immunization previously may not be protected from the measles virus and should talk with a health care provider about receiving measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) immunization.About Measles
· Contact and notify their health care provider as soon as possible about a potential exposure if they are pregnant, an infant, have a weakened immune system and/or are unimmunized regardless of vaccination history.
· Monitor themselves for illness with fever and/or an unexplained rash from 7 days to 21 days after their exposure (the time period when symptoms may develop).
· If symptoms develop, stay at home, and avoid school, work and any gatherings. Call a healthcare provider immediately. Do not enter a health care facility before calling them and making them aware of your measles exposure and symptoms. Public Health can assist health care providers in appropriately diagnosing and managing your care.
Measles spreads easily through the air when an infected person breathes, talks, coughs, or sneezes. The virus can stay in the air and on surfaces for many hours, even after the infected person has left. The infected person can spread the disease up to four days before a measles rash appears and up to four days after the rash appears. If other people breathe the contaminated air or touch the infected surface, then touch their eyes, noses, or mouths, they can become infected.
Common symptoms for measles include:· High fever (higher than 101° F)
· Cough
· Runny nose
· Red and watery eyes
· Rash 3-5 days after other signs of illness. The “measles rash” typically starts at the face and then spreads down to the rest of the body.
Measles can be prevented with a measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine (MMR or MMRV). The MMR vaccine protects against three diseases: measles, mumps and rubella. The MMRV vaccine protects against four diseases: measles, mumps, rubella, and varicella (chickenpox). They are administered in two doses and are highly effective: two doses are 97% effective against measles and one dose is 93% effective. The spread of measles can be prevented if 2-dose coverage of vaccine remains at 95% or above in the community. For more information on measles, visit: ph.lacounty.gov/measles.
Most health insurances cover the cost of the MMR and MMRV vaccine. Insured persons should check with their doctor or local pharmacy to see what vaccines are offered. Uninsured or underinsured children and adults can access free or low-cost vaccines at clinics enrolled in the Vaccines for Children (VFC) and Vaccines for Adults (VFA) program. For a list of clinics that offer free or low-cost immunizations for persons who are uninsured or underinsured, call 2-1-1 or visit:
http://publichealth.lacounty.gov/ip/clinics.htm.The chart below (source: CDC) shows the remarkable effectiveness of the vaccination campaign, which by the year 2000 allowed the United States to declare that measles transmission had been eliminated in the U.S.
In in the United States, as of March 6th, a total of 222 measles cases have been reported this year, which is likely to increase given the ongoing large measles outbreak in West Texas and bordering New Mexico. Furthermore, 17% of these cases required hospitalization for management of measles complications or isolation and two have tragically died from measles related complications. Most of these cases have been unimmunized. All measles cases diagnosed in California to date this year have had recent international travel. Prior to this case, the last case of measles in a Los Angeles County resident was reported in February 2024.
While many parents today think of measles as a relatively benign childhood illness, it actually produces significant morbidity and mortality with respiratory, ocular, and neurological complications - sometimes resulting in death.
And as we discussed last week (see Measles . . . a Look At `Immune Amnesia'), measles infection can greatly reduce a patient's T cells and B cells - dramatically reducing their immune system's ability to fight off other pathogens for several years - even those that they had previously developed antibodies against.
Which in a world where emerging infectious diseases are on the rise, is far from ideal.
Given measles' long incubation period (2-3 weeks), its extreme transmissibility, and the ability of an infected person to transmit the virus for several days before showing symptoms, outbreaks across the nation are only expected to rise in the weeks ahead.
