Health
Measles in the U.S.: Latest Maps and Cases
Measles continues to spread in West Texas and New Mexico, with more than 250 people infected — many unvaccinated school-age children. Two cases in Oklahoma, for which state officials have not provided a location, have also been linked to these outbreaks. Eleven other states have reported isolated measles cases, typically linked to international travel.
● Isolated cases ● Outbreaks
Measles cases by county in 2025
The Texas outbreak began in late January, when local health officials reported two cases in Gaines County, a rural agricultural area on the western edge of the state.
The outbreak quickly escalated. Measles has spread into neighboring counties and infected at least 223 people as of Tuesday, including 29 people who have been hospitalized and an unvaccinated young child who died, the first such death in the United States in a decade.
New Mexico also declared an outbreak in Lea County, which borders Gaines County. While the cases in New Mexico have not officially been connected to the Texas outbreak, officials have said they are “undoubtedly related.”
Measles outbreaks in Texas and New Mexico
Last week, an unvaccinated resident of Lea County who tested positive for the virus died, though officials have not yet confirmed that measles was the cause of death.
In both states, most measles cases have spread among people who are unvaccinated or with unknown vaccine status.
For years, Gaines County has had low childhood vaccination rates, largely because of the area’s large Mennonite community. While there is no religious doctrine that explicitly forbids vaccines, the insular Christian group has historically avoided interacting with the health care system and has a long tradition of using home remedies and supplements.
Roughly 82 percent of the kindergarten students in the county had received the measles-mumps-rubella vaccination, or M.M.R., last year, which is far below the 95 percent coverage needed to prevent outbreaks in a community.
Texas public schools require children to have received certain vaccines, including the M.M.R. shot, but parents can apply for an exemption for “reasons of conscience,” including religious beliefs. Last year, Gaines County had one of the highest exemption rates in the state.
Vaccination rates can vary widely by school district. The Loop Independent School District in Gaines County is a small district with one school and the lowest rate of measles vaccination in the affected Texas counties. Only 46 percent of kindergarten students had received their M.M.R. vaccine in the 2023 school year, down from 82 percent in 2019.
By county, for public school districts and private schools, since 2019
Change in measles vaccination rates in affected Texas counties
In Lea County, N.M., the M.M.R. vaccination rate for children and teens is relatively high, at about 94 percent. But the rate among adults is much lower: 63 percent have received one shot of M.M.R., and only 55 percent have received both shots, according to local health officials, though they noted that there may be vaccinated adults whose records have not been added to the system. Adults make up more than half of reported cases in New Mexico.
Measles is one of the most contagious known infections. In a hypothetical community where nobody had immunity from the virus and each infected person infected 18 others, a small outbreak would quickly grow out of control:
Every vaccinated person would help slow the spread of the virus and limit the outbreak:
For the outbreak to end quickly, each infected person would need to infect fewer than one other person, on average. In this example, 17 of 18 people would need to be vaccinated — more than 94 percent of the community:
And while measles symptoms often resolve on their own within a few weeks, the virus can be extremely dangerous in rare cases. It may cause pneumonia, making it difficult for children to get oxygen into their lungs.
The infection can also lead to brain swelling, which can cause lasting damage, including blindness, deafness and intellectual disabilities. For every 1,000 children who get measles, one or two will die, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The virus also causes “immune amnesia,” making the body unable to defend itself against illnesses it has already been exposed to and leaving patients more susceptible to future infections.
Once someone is infected with the virus, doctors have little control over how serious a measles infection becomes — there is no antiviral for measles to stop its spread in the body, only “supportive care” to help manage symptoms. That’s why experts recommend that people get two doses of the M.M.R. vaccine, which are 97 percent effective at preventing infection.
Measles was officially declared eliminated — which means the virus is not continually spreading — in 2000, in large part because of aggressive vaccination campaigns. Experts now fear that status may be at risk, as childhood vaccination rates have been falling nationally.
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One specific spice could function as a natural antidepressant, an expert says.
Saffron, found in popular foods and drinks like paella and herbal teas, has shown promise for its ability to boost mood and reduce symptoms of depression, in addition to other various health benefits.
During an in-studio interview with Fox News Digital, Dr. Daniel Amen, psychiatrist and founder of Amen Clinics in California, shared his enthusiasm about using saffron for mental health support.
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“I love saffron so much,” he said. “I’m Lebanese, and Middle Eastern folks cook with a lot of saffron. And there’s actually folklore in Iran: If you’re too happy, you must have had saffron.”
Amen referenced research showing that about 30 milligrams of saffron was “equally as effective” as antidepressants in randomized trials.
Saffron may increase sexual function, unlike traditional SSRIs, according to Dr. Amen. (iStock)
While most SSRIs (selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors) can help boost mood, they also pose the risk of decreasing sexual function. Saffron does the opposite, according to Amen.
“As a psychiatrist, I don’t want to ruin my patients’ love lives,” he said. “Saffron increased sexual function [in research].”
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Saffron has also been shown to help with memory and focus, according to various studies.
A recent study, published in Reviews in Clinical Medicine 2025, also linked saffron to decreased symptoms of premenstrual syndrome (PMS).
Research has shown that saffron can boost mood and improve PMS symptoms. (iStock)
After eight to 12 weeks of saffron use, participants reported that the supplement “significantly reduced” the symptoms and severity of PMS.
Additional research published in the Cambridge University Press in May 2025 revealed saffron’s potential to ease depression symptoms.
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The review analyzed 192 trials involving more than 17,000 patients and 44 different nutraceuticals to determine which supplements work for depression.
Saffron was identified as most effective, showing a moderate to large antidepressant effect.
Saffron is found in a variety of dishes, including paella and rice variations. (iStock)
The meta-analysis also examined how these nutraceuticals interacted with prescribed antidepressant medications.
Combining supplements like zinc and curcumins (natural compounds found in turmeric) with existing antidepressants were found to improve symptoms.
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“So, if you’re on an antidepressant and you want it to work even better, think about zinc and curcumins,” Amen recommended. “Saffron, zinc and curcumins is a great combination.”
Saffron is often consumed as a supplement in pills, capsules or powders. (iStock)
While cooking with saffron may not achieve the levels needed to improve mood, saffron supplements are available as capsules, tablets and powdered extract. Thirty milligrams per day is typically the recommended dose for symptom relief.
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Long-term use of saffron has yet to be studied, as there is some uncertainty around its potency as a supplement, researchers and experts have warned.
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According to a medically reviewed WebMD article, taking saffron in high doses or for long periods of time “may be risky,” potentially causing anxiety, appetite changes, upset stomach sleepiness or headache.
Anyone interested in starting a saffron supplement should first consult with a doctor.
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Scientists may have found a way to stop Alzheimer’s damage before it starts — by “melting” the tiny protein clumps that are the early triggers of the disease.
Alzheimer’s has long been linked to harmful tau protein fibrils that build up in the brain and interfere with cognitive function, but researchers have now discovered soft, small clusters that appear first.
When those early clusters were dissolved, it prevented the toxic fibrils from forming, which could effectively block the disease, according to researchers from Tokyo Metropolitan University.
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Led by Professor Rei Kurita, the scientists used precise X-ray and fluorescence methods in a laboratory setting to find the microscopic “precursors,” which measured only tens of nanometers, according to a press release.
Because the tiny precursors were soft, the researchers were able to dissolve them. As a result, no tau fibrils were formed.
Scientists may have found a way to stop Alzheimer’s damage before it starts — by “melting” the tiny protein clumps that are the early triggers of the disease. (iStock)
These results suggest a shift in how scientists might develop Alzheimer’s disease treatments.
Rather than focusing on breaking apart the final fibril formations, new therapies could target the earlier, reversible precursor stage to prevent harmful structures from forming in the first place, according to the release.
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This strategy could eventually be applied to the research of neurodegenerative diseases like Parkinson’s.
The study did have some limitations, primarily that it involved in-vitro biochemical models and no humans or animals. It’s not known whether similar reversible clusters exist in human brain tissue.
Alzheimer’s has long been linked to harmful tau protein fibrils that build up in the brain and interfere with cognitive function. (iStock)
More research is needed to find out if breaking up these protein clusters is safe and could actually help treat the disease.
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Dr. Marc Siegel, Fox News senior medical analyst, was not involved in the study but shared his reactions to the findings.
“There are three essential components structurally involved in the development of Alzheimer’s disease — beta amyloid proteins, tau proteins and neuroinflammation,” he told Fox News Digital.
“In the future, there will likely be triple therapy — anti-inflammation, anti-beta-amyloid and anti-tau.”
“There are already treatments on the market to target beta amyloid buildup, and now here’s a targeted therapy to dissolve and disrupt tau protein buildup before it forms the dreaded neurofibrillatory tangles.”
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Siegel believes this is “bound to be of clinical value” and will likely be better tolerated than other medications currently on the market.
“In the future, there will likely be triple therapy — anti-inflammation, anti-beta-amyloid and anti-tau,” he predicts.
“This is promising basic research that may turn out to deepen our understanding of the mechanisms underlying the disease, but it is preliminary,” an expert said. (iStock)
Courtney Kloske, Ph.D., director of scientific engagement for the Alzheimer’s Association in Chicago, also reacted to the study in an interview with Fox News Digital.
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“This manuscript focuses on altering the structure of tau, one of the hallmark brain proteins involved in Alzheimer’s, and on exploring approaches that could potentially slow or stop disease development,” said Kloske, who was also not involved in the study.
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“This is promising basic research that may turn out to deepen our understanding of the mechanisms underlying the disease, but it is preliminary, and additional studies are needed to determine how these findings can be translated into human studies.”
Fox News Digital reached out to the researchers for comment.
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