While measles was officially declared eradicated in the year 2000, a drop in vaccination has brought back a 2025 resurgence that has been alarming health experts.
An outbreak that began in Texas has quickly spread to both neighboring and more distant states. As of April 3, the Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention (CDC) is reporting more than 500 cases in states that also include New Mexico, Minnesota, Pennsylvania, New York and Tennessee.
In February, a six-year-old child unvaccinated against the airborne disease became the first recorded measles death in the U.S. since 2015.
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New York warns residents that measles can be ‘as close as a car ride away’
Ahead of the busy spring break travel period, the New York State Department of Health is warning any unvaccinated residents to either get the MMR vaccine or reconsider travel to areas with high case counts.
“Measles is more common in different places and exposure during travel is something we need to consider,” New York State Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald said in a statement. “It’s important that New Yorkers ensure they are up-to-date regarding being immunized against measles in some cases measles is as close as a car ride away.”
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In almost all countries, the MMR vaccine is given out to all children in the early years of life unless their parents opt them of it.
For those getting it in adulthood, full protection kicks in approximately two weeks after the second shot — the standard is at least 28 days after the first — but even a single dose can decrease one’s risks of catching measles by as much as 93%.
While New York State did not specifically call out specific states where the risk of catching measles is highest, Texas is the epicenter of the outbreak with over 420 of the 500-plus cases reported in the U.S.
Texas is the epicenter of the national measles outbreak that began from parents opting their children out of the MMR vaccine.
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‘Risk level of contracting measles is medium for people who go to Texas’
New York’s advisory has been sent to all healthcare providers in the state while individual travelers are urged to request records from their doctor if they are unsure of their vaccination status. New York state has had a total of four measles cases in 2025 with three in New York City and one in Suffolk County.
“All New Yorkers [are asked] to ensure they are fully vaccinated against measles before international travel or travel to an area in the U.S. experiencing an outbreak,” the advisory reads further.
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At the start of March, the Mexican government issued a similar advisory calling upon citizens who may be planning travel to Texas or other parts of the U.S. to check their vaccination status and avoid travel entirely if unvaccinated.
Statistics on existing cases show that 95% of the measles cases recorded from Mexico were in people who had not been vaccinated or did not know their vaccination status against measles.
“Before traveling, make sure you have your complete vaccination schedule,” the Mexican government advisory reads. “[The] risk level of contracting measles is medium for people who go to Texas.”
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