Long Island reports first measles case of 2025, health officials say

New York's first case of measles outside of New York City this year has been confirmed, according to the state Department of Health.

The patient is reported to be less than five years old and a resident of Suffolk County on Long Island, health officials say.

"Our epidemiology and vaccine experts at the State Health Department and the State’s Wadsworth Lab are working in collaboration with the health officials of Suffolk County, New York City and Northwell Health to monitor and investigate this case and any potential exposures," New York's health commissioner, Dr. James McDonald, said. 

Health officials warn of possible exposure to measles for people at the Cohen Children's Medical Center's pediatric emergency department on March 3 or 4, or who may have visited inpatient children in the Medicine 3 unit from March 3 to 6.

The Suffolk County Health Department said there were 12 possible exposures at Cohen Children's, 11 of whom were vaccinated. One of those exposed was too young to be vaccinated; that child was given prophylaxis and was quarantined.

The hospital said it is reaching out to patients who may have been in the emergency department or pediatric floor at the time of possible exposure.

The exposure is not related to ongoing outbreaks in Texas and New Mexico, officials say.

New York City reported two cases of measles earlier this month.

Where else is measles showing up in the U.S.?

Measles cases have been reported in Texas, New Mexico, Alaska, California, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Vermont.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention defines an outbreak as three or more related cases — and there have been three clusters that qualified as outbreaks in 2025.

In the U.S., cases and outbreaks are generally traced to someone who caught the disease abroad. It can then spread, especially in communities with low vaccination rates.

Do you need an MMR booster?

The best way to avoid measles is to get the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine. The first shot is recommended for children between 12 and 15 months old and the second between 4 and 6 years old.

People at high risk for infection who got the shots many years ago may want to consider getting a booster if they live in an area with an outbreak, said Scott Weaver with the Global Virus Network, an international coalition. Those may include family members living with someone who has measles or those especially vulnerable to respiratory diseases because of underlying medical conditions.

Adults with “presumptive evidence of immunity” generally don’t need measles shots now, the CDC said. Criteria include written documentation of adequate vaccination earlier in life, lab confirmation of past infection or being born before 1957, when most people were likely to be infected naturally.

A doctor can order a lab test called an MMR titer to check your levels of measles antibodies, but health experts don't always recommend this route and insurance coverage can vary.

Getting another MMR shot is harmless if there are concerns about waning immunity, the CDC says.

People who have documentation of receiving a live measles vaccine in the 1960s don’t need to be revaccinated, but people who were immunized before 1968 with an ineffective measles vaccine made from “killed” virus should be revaccinated with at least one dose, the agency said. That also includes people who don’t know which type they got.

What are the symptoms of measles?

Measles first infects the respiratory tract, then spreads throughout the body, causing a high fever, runny nose, cough, red, watery eyes and a rash.

The rash generally appears three to five days after the first symptoms, beginning as flat red spots on the face and then spreading downward to the neck, trunk, arms, legs and feet. When the rash appears, the fever may spike over 104 degrees Fahrenheit, according to the CDC.

How can you treat measles?

There’s no specific treatment for measles, so doctors generally try to alleviate symptoms, prevent complications and keep patients comfortable.

Why do vaccination rates matter?

In communities with high vaccination rates — above 95% — diseases like measles have a harder time spreading through communities. This is called “herd immunity.”

But childhood vaccination rates have declined nationwide since the pandemic and more parents are claiming religious or personal conscience waivers to exempt their kids from required shots.

The U.S. saw a rise in measles cases in 2024, including an outbreak in Chicago that sickened more than 60. Five years earlier, measles cases were the worst in almost three decades in 2019.