PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — The New Jersey Department of Health confirmed three measles cases on Thursday, adding to growing concerns as cases and hospitalizations rise across the United States, including in Texas, where an unvaccinated child recently died from the disease.
The cases trace back to a single laboratory-confirmed infection reported on Feb. 14 in a Bergen County child who had recently traveled internationally, ABC7 reported. Within days, two additional family members who had close contact with the child contracted the disease, according to the department.
All three individuals were unvaccinated and had been under quarantine, minimizing the risk of further exposure, officials said.
The child visited three medical facilities in North Jersey earlier this month. Health officials are asking anyone who visited those facilities to contact a health care provider immediately. The facilities include:
— PromptMD Urgent Care, 2059 Hudson St., Fort Lee
Feb. 8, between 12:15 and 4 p.m.
— Englewood Hospital Emergency Department, 350 Engle St., Englewood
Feb. 9, between 11:30 a.m. and 3:45 p.m.
— Hackensack University Medical Center, 30 Prospect Ave., Hackensack
Feb. 9, between 7 and 9 p.m.
Potentially exposed individuals could develop symptoms as late as March 6, the department said.
So far in 2025, New Jersey has reported three measles cases, compared to seven in 2024.
The health department said it is working with local officials to identify and notify anyone who may have been exposed while the individuals were infectious. Officials are urging residents to stay up to date on routine vaccinations, particularly the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine, which is highly effective in preventing infection.
Measles can spread through direct contact with an infected surface or by breathing in the virus. Up to 90% of unvaccinated individuals or those whose vaccine was ineffective will contract measles if exposed.
States are stepping up efforts to encourage vaccination after Texas health officials confirmed the first U.S. measles-related death in nearly a decade. The unvaccinated school-aged child died Tuesday night amid Texas’ largest measles outbreak in nearly 30 years, which has spread to 146 cases across nine counties since last month.
🎧 RELATED
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the nation’s top health official and a known vaccine critic, downplayed the outbreak on Wednesday, stating that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services is monitoring the situation and calling it “not unusual.”
Symptoms of measles typically appear 7 to 14 days after infection, though they can take up to 21 days to develop. Early signs include a high fever, cough, runny nose, and red, watery eyes.
Health officials emphasize that vaccination remains the most effective way to prevent measles.
The MMR vaccine is safe and highly effective at preventing infection and severe illness. The CDC recommends the first dose for children between 12 and 15 months old and a second dose between ages 4 and 6. The vaccine is required for children entering kindergarten in public schools nationwide.
While most children recover from measles, the disease can lead to severe complications, including pneumonia, blindness, brain swelling, and death.
Since the COVID-19 pandemic, vaccination rates have declined nationwide. Most states now fall below the 95% vaccination threshold necessary to prevent widespread measles outbreaks.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.