There have been 310 confirmed cases of measles in Ohio since January, as the measles epidemic continues to spread nationwide. Ashtabula, Geauga and Wayne counties account for roughly half of all cases statewide.
As of Nov. 5, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has confirmed 5,182 cases across the country.
The spike in measles comes as the Pan American Health Organization convenes a meeting to determine the measles and rubella elimination status of the Americas. The U.S. is at risk of losing its measles elimination status.
Losing elimination status happens when a country cannot stop the spread of measles over a 12-month period. Put another way, measles is considered endemic in a country if there is continuous transmission over a 12-month period. The U.S. has been dealing with a series of measles outbreaks since early 2025. Canada lost its measles elimination status last year.
The best thing people can do to protect themselves from measles is to make sure they’re fully vaccinated, according to Dr. Claudia Hoyen, the director of pediatric infection control at University Hospitals’ Rainbow Babies Children’s.
“Measles is not just a rash. There can be pretty significant complications,” she said. “One in 20 kids will end up with pneumonia and potentially in the hospital. We worry terribly about complications like encephalitis, which you can get if you have the measles.”
Encephalitis is an inflammation of the brain tissue. Measles can also lead to dangerous long-term complications, including subacute sclerosing panencephalitis (SSPE), which is a rare but fatal degenerative disease. SSPE can take between seven and 15 years to emerge after an initial measles infection and is particularly dangerous when children catch measles at a young age, especially under 2. It is not caused by the MMR vaccine.
The MMR vaccine is typically given in two doses during childhood. Hoyen said older adults can check with their doctors if they’re concerned about their immunity level.
“I think the best thing that people can do is understand what their immunity is,” she said. "Once you have that immunity then that's a good thing because it's going to keep you protected.”
Two doses of the MMR vaccine leads to 97% protection against measles. According to the CDC, 96% of the measles cases nationwide are in people who are either unvaccinated or whose vaccine status is unknown.
Hoyen said there are interventions that can help minimize the complications associated with measles in unvaccinated individuals. Getting the MMR vaccine within the first three days of contracting measles can help prevent infection or reduce the severity of the illness. She said for people who are immunocompromised or pregnant, there are immunoglobulin treatments available to help protect against complications.
Experts are asking people who think they may have been exposed to the measles virus or are experiencing symptoms associated with measles to call ahead to their local hospital rather than just walking into a doctor’s office or the emergency room. That’s because the measles virus can linger in the air or on surfaces for up to two hours after an infected individual has left a space. It can take seven to 14 days for symptoms to emerge after an initial exposure.
Measles symptoms include a high fever, cough, runny nose and watery eyes. It’s also typically accompanied by white spots that can appear inside the mouth and a rash that starts on the face and spreads downward on the body.
There have been several local warnings of potential measles exposures in Northeast Ohio. Akron Children’s Hospital warned the public of a possible measles exposure at the Golisano Campus on Oct. 20. Health officials also warned of a possible exposure at SweetBerry Fresh Market in Wickliffe on Oct. 3, 5, or 6. In Warren, officials warned of a possible exposure at Mercy Health St. Joseph Warren Hospital’s emergency room on Aug. 23.
