Measles is spreading in several parts of the country. There have been more than 730 cases in the country in 2026. An outbreak last fall in South Carolina sickened more than 900 people, mostly children.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that most of the cases, 727, were in 20 states, including Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Washington state. Only six cases were documented in international visitors.
Last year, there were a total of 2,276 confirmed cases in the U.S., the CDC said.
Most of the cases are in people who have not been vaccinated, and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Dr. Mehmet Oz told people, “take the vaccine, please,” to stop the spread, The New York Times reported.
What is measles?
Measles was a once-common childhood illness, but it was curbed for about two decades thanks to vaccinations. However, it is highly contagious and is starting to come back, the Mayo Clinic said.
How is it spread?
It is a virus that spreads through the air and on surfaces.
Symptoms of measles
The symptoms of measles start seven to 14 days after infection.
The first symptoms include:
- High fever
- Cough
- Runny nose
- Red, watery eyes
About two days after initial symptoms start, small white spots start to appear inside the mouth. The spots are called Koplik spots, the CDC said.
The measles rash appears about three to five days after the first symptoms develop. They usually start on the face near the hairline, then spread to the neck, trunk, arms, legs and feet. Small raised bumps may appear on top of flat red spots, which may join together.
When the rash appears, the person’s temperature may spike to more than 104 degrees.
Complications and risks
A measles infection may bring with it some complications, including ear infections and diarrhea.
Several age groups are more likely to have complications from a measles infection, including children under the age of 5, adults over 20 years old, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems, the CDC said.
More severe complications include pneumonia, encephalitis, and hospitalization. “Nearly 1 to 3 of every 1,000 children infected with measles will die from respiratory and neurologic complications,” the CDC said.
Prevention
Measles can be prevented by a vaccines either the MMR that protects against measles, mumps and rubella or MMRV, which has the added protection for chickenpox, the Mayo Clinic said.
Most people who get the vaccine have protection from measles for their entire life, according to the CDC. Children will need to get two doses of the MMR vaccine, one between 12 and 15 months of age, and a second between 4 and 6 years old.
If older children, adolescents or adults lack evidence of immunity, the CDC said they should also get a dose or two of the vaccine.
For the complete MMR vaccine schedule, click here.
But not everyone should get the vaccine, according to the Mayo Clinic. Those who should not get it are people who have had a serious allergic reaction after getting the first dose or who have a reaction to the antibiotic neomycin. Also, if a woman is pregnant or if a person has a severely weakened immune system due to treatments or illnesses, they should not get the vaccine.
Other considerations should be discussed with a doctor including if you or a family member has a history of seizures, plan to get pregnant in the four weeks following the shot, had a blood transfusion or other blood products, took corticosteroids or are being treated for tuberculosis.
©2026 Cox Media Group
