CDC issues new warning for international travelers amid measles outbreaks
FILE - A passenger jet takes off over the runway threshold lights at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport on August 12, 2024, in Arlington, Virginia. (Photo by J. David Ake/Getty Images)
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is updating its advisory on measles after cases have expanded in the U.S.
CDC measles travel warning
Big picture view:
As of May 27, 2025, all travelers are recommended to be fully vaccinated for measles before going to any international destination.
What they're saying:
A CDC spokesperson told FOX Television Stations that, so far in 2025, it had received 62 reports of travelers who had measles while on an airplane.
Dig deeper:
The CDC was able to initiate contact investigations for 50 of those travelers, and found that measles appeared to have transmitted during air travel in one instance.
What is measles?
Measles is a respiratory disease caused by one of the world’s most contagious viruses. The virus is transmitted by direct contact with infectious droplets or by airborne spread when an infected person breathes, coughs, or sneezes.
The CDC says likely places for spreading are in airports, train stations or in large public areas or events.
Why you should care:
Measles usually doesn’t kill people, but it can, and about 1 in 5 unvaccinated Americans who get measles are hospitalized, the CDC said.
And the disease develops most severely in children.
Among children with measles, about 1 in every 20 develops pneumonia, the CDC said, and about one in every 1,000 suffers swelling of the brain called encephalitis — which can lead to convulsions, deafness or intellectual disability.
Measles vaccine
Big picture view:
The best way to avoid measles is to get the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine.
The backstory:
Vaccination rates have declined nationwide since the COVID-19 pandemic, and most states are below the 95% vaccination threshold for kindergartners — the level needed to protect communities against measles outbreaks.
Timeline:
The first shot is recommended for children between 12 and 15 months old and the second between 4 and 6 years old.
Measles outbreak
Meanwhile:
The U.S. is seeing high measles activity this year amid declining rates of people getting the vaccine.
By the numbers:
Overall, the U.S. has seen more than 1,000 measles cases across 30 states since the beginning of the year, and 11 states with outbreaks. An outbreak is defined as three or more related cases.
Local perspective:
The largest outbreak in the U.S. has been in Texas, New Mexico and Oklahoma.
THE LATEST: Measles in Central Texas: 6 cases detected in Williamson County
Big picture view:
Most people who bring measles into the United States are unvaccinated U.S. residents who get infected during international travel.
The Source: Information in this article was taken from the CDC’s website, and from information emailed to FOX Television Stations by a CDC spokesperson. Background information about the measles was taken from the CDC and The Associated Press. This story was reported from Detroit.