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U.S. measles outbreaks may end a hard-won victory over the virus

Halfway through 2025, more than 1,300 people have been diagnosed with measles

A wooden sign is shown positioned along a road with a spray painted message that says "measles testing" in black. A red arrow points to the left. The sign is next to a permanent sign for Memorial Hospital, Seminole Hospital District.

Signs point the way to measles testing in the parking lot of the Seminole Hospital District in part of Gaines County, Texas in February. Gaines County, the epicenter for the state’s measles outbreak, has among the lowest measles vaccination rates in Texas.

Jan Sonnenmair/Getty Images

By Erin Garcia de Jesús

The United States is facing a pivotal moment in efforts to keep one of the world’s most contagious diseases at bay.