New York, March 15 : The US has reported a total of 301 confirmed measles cases so far this year, according to the latest data released by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The cases have been reported across 15 US jurisdictions. Among the confirmed cases, 50 individuals have been hospitalised, and two have died, Xinhua news agency reported.

Texas has seen a rise in measles cases since January, with 259 cases confirmed as of Friday. Thirty-four of the patients have required hospitalisation.

The Texas Department of State Health Services has warned that, due to the highly contagious nature of the disease, additional cases are expected in both the outbreak areas and nearby communities.

Measles is an extremely contagious viral infection that spreads through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes. It typically causes symptoms such as fever, cough, runny nose, red eyes, and a rash that spreads across the body. In severe cases, it can lead to complications like pneumonia, brain swelling, and even death.

The CDC emphasises that the best way to prevent measles is through vaccination.

Two doses of the MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccine are highly effective in preventing the disease. Meanwhile, Europe reported 127,350 measles cases in 2024 -- double from 2023 and the highest number since 1997.

The European Region accounted for a third of all measles cases globally in 2024. Children under 5 accounted for more than 40 per cent of reported cases in the Region -- comprising 53 countries in Europe and Central Asia, according to an analysis by WHO and the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF).

More than half of the reported cases required hospitalisation. A total of 38 deaths have been reported, based on preliminary data received as of 6 March 2025.

Measles cases in the Region have generally been declining since 1997, when some 216,000 were reported, reaching a low of 4,440 cases in 2016. However, a resurgence was seen in 2018 and 2019 -- with 89,000 and 106,000 cases reported for the 2 years respectively.

Following a dip in immunisation coverage during the Covid-19 pandemic, cases rose significantly again in 2023 and 2024, the analysis showed.

/IANS