An unvaccinated child in Williams County, North Dakota, is the state’s first measles case since 2011.
According to state health officials, the child is believed to have contracted the illness from an out-of-state visitor. The child is recuperating at home in isolation.
Molly Howell, North Dakota’s Health and Human Services immunization director, said in a press release, “Anyone with symptoms consistent with measles should call ahead before visiting a clinic to avoid exposing others. Vaccination remains the most effective defense against measles. Measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccination is safer than risking measles illness. The MMR vaccine has been safely used in the United States since 1973.”
Measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccination is safer than risking measles illness.
Currently North Dakota has an 81% vaccination rate among toddlers and 90% among kindergarteners entering during the 2024-2025 school year. Vaccination coverage at 95% or above is needed to halt measles transmission.
Fort Worth area reports household cases
In other US news, Tarrant County, Texas (in the Fort Worth metro area) has reported its first two measles cases, an adult and child who are household members and both unvaccinated against the virus. It's not clear how they contracted the virus, or if their cases are connected to the ongoing large outbreak in West Texas, namely in Gaines County.
Texas is approaching 700 cases in an outbreak that began in January and has spread to neighboring New Mexico and Oklahoma.
Oklahoma reported another measles case over the weekend, raising state totals to 16. Of the 16 case-patients, 15 are unvaccinated.
Canadian outbreak linked to mass gathering
In a new measles report released late last week, PAHO (Pan American Health Organization) said cases in the Americas region are 11-fold higher compared with last year. Seven countries have reported cases, but most cases are from Canada, the United States, and Mexico, respectively.
Canada's total is the highest since it eliminated the disease in 1998 and currently stands at 1,069 for the first four months of the year. Last year Canada reported 146 cases during the same time period. Ontario has seen the most measles activity, with more than 900 cases reported thus far in 2025.
“The outbreak began with an imported case who attended a massive event in New Brunswick in October 2024, which included multiple attendees from the provinces. Most cases associated with this outbreak are either unvaccinated (84%) or vaccination status unknown (12%),” the PAHO report said.
The New Brunswick event was attended by members of Canada’s Mennonite community, according to media reports.
