The number of measles cases continue to rise in Kansas, reaching 80 confirmed cases, according the Kansas Department of Health and Environment’s 2025 Kansas Measles Case Data dashboard.

The majority of cases, 77, are associated with the outbreak concentrated in the southwestern part of Kansas, with six new cases related to the outbreak reported this month, according to the data updated Monday.

There have been three hospitalizations and no deaths connected to the outbreak.

Measles cases have been reported in nine counties in that area: Finney, Ford, Grant, Gray, Haskell, Kiowa, Morton, Pawnee and Stevens counties. Cases have also been reported in Reno and Sedgwick counties, but none of those cases are related to the outbreak.

Young children account for the majority of cases

Children and teens account for the vast majority of cases, with 32 involving kids 4 years and younger, 21 involving children between 5 and 10, eight involving children between 11 and 13, and six between 14 and 17. The remaining 13 cases include people 18 and older.

The data shows that among those affected by the southwest Kansas outbreak, only five involved patients who had been vaccinated appropriately. The vast majority of cases, 68, were not vaccinated or not vaccinated appropriately for their age. Four patients were unable to verify their vaccination status.

Grant County, with 26 confirmed cases, has been the hardest hit, followed by Haskell County with 17 cases and Pawnee and Stevens counties with seven each.

What are symptoms of measles?

Dr. Stephen Lauer, pediatrician and associate chair of pediatrics at The University of Kansas Health System, is urging families to remain vigilant and strongly consider early vaccination, particularly for young children, according to a news release.

“While case numbers remain low for now, this is changing on a weekly basis,” Lauer said. “We’ve seen increasing interest from parents in getting their children protected earlier, and we’ve responded by offering dedicated vaccine clinics for those seeking the MMR vaccine, especially for babies 6 to 12 months old and toddlers who are due for their second dose.”

Measles symptoms often begin with fever, cough, runny nose, “pink eye” and small white spots inside the cheeks, followed by a rash that spreads from the head down over the body, Lauer said.

The MMR vaccine, which has been safely and successfully used for decades, is the most effective way to protect children, Lauer said.

“If your child is attending daycare or school, or you’re hearing about outbreaks nearby, it’s perfectly reasonable to talk to your pediatrician about adjusting the vaccination schedule to protect them sooner rather than later,” Lauer said.

Measles cases continue to rise in the United States

As of June 19, 2025, a total of 1,214 confirmed measles cases in the United States, according to data from the U.S. Centers Disease Control and Prevention.

Measles have been reported in 34 states — Alaska, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Vermont, Virginia and Washington — and in Washington D.C.

There have been 23 outbreaks reported this year, with 1,081, or 89%, of confirmed cases being associated with the outbreak, the CDC said. For comparison, 16 outbreaks were reported during 2024, with 198 of 285, or 69%, of the cases being outbreak-associated.

About 29% of the cases involve children under the age of 5, 37% involve patients 5 to 19, 33% include adults 20 and older, and 1% whose age was unknown, according to the CDC.

About 95% of the cases include unvaccinated patients or those whose vaccination status was unknown. Another 2% involved patients who had received only one dose of the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine. Only 3% of the patients had received two doses of the vaccine.

There have been 146 hospitalizations, or 12% of all cases, and three confirmed deaths from measles.

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