Illinois reports 10 measles cases as the contagious disease surges across US
The U.S. is now seeing the greatest number of measles cases nationally since the disease was “eliminated” in 2000, and Illinois and Missouri have both reported cases this year.
The Illinois Department of Public Health has reported 10 measles cases in the state so far in 2025. Last year there were 67 confirmed cases reported in Illinois, and there were five in 2023. From 2020 to 2022, there were none.
Measles was declared eliminated in the U.S. in 2000, but infections and outbreaks still occur. Elimination means there are no locally transmitted measles infections or outbreaks lasting 12 months or longer within a country or region, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“So we were in the elimination status for measles through WHO (World Health Organization) for a very long time. This year, we came very close to losing that elimination status nationally,” Dr. Vidya Sundareshan, infectious diseases specialist at Southern Illinois University Medicine and medical advisor to Sangamon County Health Department, said in a July 23 interview with the News-Democrat.
The measles vaccine is called MMR and is designed to protect against measles, mumps and rubella. Illinois health officials recommend children receive the first dose at 12 to 15 months of age and a second dose at 4 to 6 years old.
One dose of the MMR vaccine can confer about 93 to 95% protection against measles, Sundareshan said, while two doses provide about a 97% protection rate.
While misinformation sometimes spreads about a potential link between vaccination and autism, the CDC reports there is no link between the MMR vaccine and autism.
Illinois’ statewide protection rate against measles is 96%, above the minimum threshold to prevent outbreaks, though some counties in southern Illinois have lower vaccination rates.
Eight of the 10 measles cases reported so far in the state this year were related and located in southern Illinois, IDPH reported, while two unrelated cases were reported in Cook County. The southern Illinois outbreak is now considered to be over.
The U.S. has reported 1,319 confirmed measles cases in 2025 as of July 22, according to the CDC, with 13% leading to hospitalization. Three people in the U.S. have died from measles so far this year.
Nearby Missouri’s measles vaccination rate is only 90.14%, which the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services reports is too low to protect against outbreaks. The state has reported seven measles cases in 2025.
The Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services reports vaccine uptake “continues to decrease” in the state, and only 73.98% of kindergartners in St. Louis City have received two doses of the MMR vaccine.
Measles is highly contagious and easily spreads among unvaccinated people.
What to know about measles symptoms
Some of the most common measles symptoms include a measles rash, fever, runny nose and pink eye, Dr. Subhash Chaudhary, pediatric infectious disease specialist at SIU Medicine, told the BND.
Ear infections and diarrhea each afflict about 1 in 10 children who get measles. Less common but more serious symptoms such as pneumonia and brain swelling can also occur. Brain swelling resulting from measles can lead to serious complications and can be fatal.
Measles symptoms typically begin one to two weeks after exposure to the virus, according to the CDC.
There is no antiviral medication available for those with measles, Chaudhary said. Treatment is instead focused on symptom relief, and can include high doses of vitamin A given in a medical setting.
About 1 in 5 unvaccinated people in the U.S. who get measles are hospitalized, the CDC reports. As many as 1 in 20 children who get measles get pneumonia, which is the most common cause of death from measles for children.
Measles can cause serious illness in people of any age, but those who are most likely to suffer from measles complications include children younger than 5, adults older than 20, pregnant people and people with weakened immune systems.
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