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Travel Advisory for All New Yorkers: Measles Activity

The Situation Report | April 7, 2025

The New York State Department of Health Division of Vaccine Excellence (DOVE) issued a travel advisory  for all New Yorkers, with guidance before and after travel. 

Measles is a highly contagious virus. Around 90% of people who are exposed to a person with measles will become infected if they are not vaccinated. Because measles is so contagious, it easily crosses borders. Currently, measles outbreaks are happening in parts of the United States and Canada, especially in Ontario, and around the world. With spring and summer travel season approaching, anyone who is not protected can get measles while traveling and can easily spread it to others when they return home. Large measles outbreaks are possible when measles cases reach at-risk populations with low immunization rates against measles. The best way to protect against measles is to make sure you are up-to-date on immunization with the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine.

The total number of measles cases in the United States in the first three months of 2025 has already surpassed the total number of measles cases in all of 2024. As of March 26, 2025, a total of 483 measles cases have been reported by twenty U.S. jurisdictions this year: Alaska, California, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, New York City, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Texas, Kansas, Oklahoma, Ohio, Maryland, Michigan, Tennessee, District of Columbia, Vermont and Washington; 442 of which occurred in New Mexico and Texas. Most of the 442 cases are among children who had not received the MMR vaccine. Additionally, the ongoing outbreak in Canada has reached over 600 cases with the majority (570 cases) occurring in Ontario.

In addition to Canada, many other countries around the world have an increased number of measles cases including Yemen, Pakistan, India, Thailand, Ethiopia, Romania, Afghanistan, Indonesia, Kyrgyzstan, and Viet Nam.

Measles symptoms typically include:

  • High fever (may spike to more than 104° F)
  • Cough
  • Runny nose (coryza)
  • Red, watery eyes (conjunctivitis or pink eye)
  • Rash (3-5 days after symptoms begin)