Measles vaccinations rose 291% among New Mexico adults during outbreak

In January 2025, a measles outbreak erupted on the western edge of Texas and soon spilled over to New Mexico and other states.

“In January 2025, a measles outbreak erupted on the western edge of Texas and soon spilled over to New Mexico and other states”

Ars Technica

The overall outbreak became the largest the country has seen since 2000, when measles was declared eliminated from the US.

Ars Technica

In Texas, it was the largest outbreak recorded since 1992.

In New Mexico, it was the first measles outbreak the state had seen since 1996.

The trajectory of the two states’ measles cases diverged.

Texas declared the outbreak over on August 18, with an end tally of 762 cases.

Ars Technica

New Mexico officials declared their outbreak, which began in February, over on September 26 with a total of 99 cases.

A new study identified a major difference: in New Mexico, the rapid spread of the highly infectious virus spurred a large surge in measles vaccinations among children and adults.

“In January 2025, a measles outbreak erupted on the western edge of Texas and soon spilled over to New Mexico and other states”

Ars Technica

Overall, measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine doses increased 55 percent statewide from January to September compared to the same period in 2024.

The study appears in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

The study broke down the rise in doses: MMR doses given to children (under age 18) increased 18 percent year-over-year from 27,988 in 2024 to 32,890 in 2025.

Doses in adults (aged 18 and up) rose 291 percent from 5,748 in 2024 to 22,500 in 2025.

Ars Technica

Health officials noted that within two weeks of the outbreak being declared, vaccine doses given in all regions began to exceed the previous year.

Some regions saw week-over-week vaccination increases as high as 78 and 83 percent when a first measles case was identified.