Those who have been exposed to measles should mask up to help limit transmission to other people, especially vulnerable groups like children and pregnant women. — Filepic
According to the science journal Nature, the measles outbreak in the United States is still growing with no end in sight.
It reported that, as of March 18 (2025), 279 cases had been reported in the state of Texas, 38 in New Mexico and as many as four in Oklahoma, which both border Texas.
Measles was the cause of death in an unvaccinated six-year-old child in Texas and is the suspected cause of death of an unvaccinated adult in New Mexico.
Measles is an airborne disease – one of the most contagious in the world – meaning that when someone with measles coughs, sneezes or talks, infectious droplets disperse into the air and stick to surfaces.
The virus can live in an environment for up to two hours after an infected person has left.
According to health officials with the Mayo Clinic in the US, you can get the measles virus by breathing it in, or by putting your fingers in your mouth or nose, or rubbing your eyes, after touching an infected surface.
About 90% of people who haven’t had measles or been vaccinated against measles will become infected when exposed.
Those who have been exposed should wear a face mask to limit transmission, especially around people who aren’t vaccinated or who are high risk for complications, such as pregnant women.
The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends masking until you can get vaccinated or confirm your immunity status.
For everyone else, the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine remains the best tool to protect yourself, with two doses being 97% effective at preventing illness.
Health experts recommend the first dose be administered to babies between 12 and 15 months old, with the second dose administered when the child is four to six years old. – By Jamie Landers and Sarah Bahari/The Dallas Morning News/Tribune News Service
