A Los Angeles resident who recently traveled through LA International Airport was identified as the first confirmed case of measles in the county in 2025, health officials reported March 11. The announcement follows weeks of reported outbreaks in Texas and New Mexico, which have resulted in two deaths to date – the first measles-related fatalities in the United States in nearly 10 years.
The first death was reported Feb. 27 in Texas, where a 6-year-old child died. On March 6, state health officials in New Mexico confirmed a second death – an adult from Lea County, about 50 miles from Gaines County, Texas, where this year’s first outbreak appears to have started.
In both cases, neither victim had been vaccinated against measles.
As outbreaks continue to be reported across the country – which are characterized by three or more cases within the same geographic region – to date the highest concentration remains in Texas and New Mexico, which have had more than 250 combined cases thus far in 2025, largely linked to communities with low vaccination rates. Isolated measles cases reported in 11 other states, including in California, have largely been associated with international travel.
Vaccination Remains Best Prevention
Doctors recommend two doses of the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine or the MMRV vaccine, which also protects against varicella (chicken pox), which are 97% effective at preventing measles, according to data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Because the virus is airborne and highly contagious, a community vaccination rate of 95% is needed to reach “herd immunity” and avoid outbreaks like those that started in Texas.
But not everyone is convinced.
In a social media post earlier this month that has gained almost 100,000 “likes,” a man proudly boasted about a school in Fort Worth, Texas being identified for having the lowest rate of vaccinations among its students, with only 14.3% vaccinated against the measles.
Most K-12 schools and districts have vaccination requirements for students, including LA Unified, but state laws offer exemptions, including medical, religious and philosophical.
In the post, the man congratulated school parents for embracing “freedom of health” and not allowing “government or science projects … affect how you live and lead your life,” he said.
Unfortunately, said Dr. Anastasia Williams, director of pediatric medicine at San Fernando Community Health Center, an increasing number of parents she encounters are expressing growing skepticism about getting their children vaccinated, citing fear of side effects.
While kids and adults may experience some common side effects after receiving any type of vaccine, explained Williams, she noted that the majority will be mild and not serious, including tiredness, headaches, mild fever, joint and muscle aches, and injection site pain or swelling.
“As a culture, we have become much more obsessed with the side effects of vaccines, rather than the diseases that we’re trying to protect our communities from,” said Williams.
In particular, she noted, many are concerned about the MMR vaccine being linked to autism, despite being widely debunked by numerous large-scale research studies around the world.
“Autism often climbs to the top of the list … of [their] biggest fears,” added Williams. To help ease their concerns, she explains that over her two-plus decades as a pediatrician, the kids whose families chose not to vaccinate them “have the same rates of autism – vaccine or no vaccine.”
“[As doctors] we have to decide if we’re going to spend a significant portion of the exam or well visit time trying to convince families to get vaccinated,” she said. “I’m not there to argue … or try to force them to vaccinate their child. I’m there as part of their team, to provide information and a perspective on why we do what we do, and why we recommend what we recommend.”
From Infection to Possible Complications
Because measles is airborne, it can easily be spread by an infected individual via coughing or sneezing, according to the LA County Department of Public Health (DPH). Nine out of 10 unvaccinated or undervaccinated people who share a common airspace with an infected person can develop the disease, and the airspace can remain infectious for up to two hours after they leave.
Common early symptoms include high fever, cough, runny nose and red and watery eyes, followed by small white dots that may appear on the inside of the mouth two to three days later, and the red measles rash on the face and body three to five days after the onset of symptoms.
Those at highest risk for complications – ear infections, diarrhea, hospitalization, pneumonia, encephalitis or death – are unvaccinated or undervaccinated children under age 5, adults over 20, pregnant women and people with weakened immune systems, according to the CDC.
Before the measles vaccine was introduced in 1963, there were approximately 3 to 4 million measles cases each year in the U.S. alone, resulting in 400 to 500 deaths annually, and an estimated 48,000 hospitalizations and 1,000 cases of encephalitis. After the measles vaccine became widely distributed, reported cases dropped by more than 97% between 1965 and 1968.
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a known vaccine skeptic, has attributed part of the dramatic drop in measles rates in the 1960s to improvements in sanitation and nutrition. He publicly acknowledged that measles is highly contagious and poses health risks, especially for unvaccinated people, but said, “The decision to vaccinate is a personal one.”
‘Eradicated’ Disease Returns
Over the 25 years since measles was considered eradicated in the U.S. – which was declared in 2000, with no continuous spread of the disease for over 12 months – the number of reported cases has waxed and waned. Cases reached a 27-year-high in 2019, when 1,274 measles cases were confirmed across 31 states, and 2025 appears on track to be another record year.
In 2025 thus far, children are being disproportionately impacted, with nearly 80% of reported cases affecting kids through the age of 19 – 45% between 5 and 19, and 34% under the age of 5, according to CDC data at press time. Among all reported cases this year, 17% have required hospitalization, with the biggest percentage of hospitalized patients being kids under 5.
“As a pediatrician for over 25 years, and living through that time when we thought that the measles were eradicated, it is frustrating and very concerning to now be in 2025 and realizing that we’ve gone backward,” said Williams. “We’re starting to see outbreaks of the measles that we thought we would never have to see in this country again.”
As measles cases continue to climb, Williams said many adults who were vaccinated as kids are starting to wonder if they still have immunity or if they should get a booster vaccine. To make that decision, she suggested they speak with their doctor, who can have their immunity tested.
“Some adults may require a booster,” explained Williams, who was tested for measles antibodies as a medical professional. The result? She had no immunity left and had to be revaccinated.
“But for the most part,” she continued, “the most vulnerable populations are going to be the younger children, particularly the infants. That’s why childhood vaccines are so important.”