Five ongoing measles outbreaks in the U.S. have reached 286 confirmed cases since last fall, including 127 cases already this year. There are no known cases in Iowa.

A graphical representation of a spherical-shaped, measles virus particle

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that, as of Feb. 14, outbreaks for this season have been reported in Rockland County, N.Y. (135 since Sept, 2018); New York City (73 since Oct. 2018); Monroe County, N.Y. (four in 2019); Texas (eight in 2019); and the Vancouver, Wash. area (six cases, including four in Oregon).

Measles can lead to pneumonia, encephalitis, blindness and a rare brain inflammation that can kill 10 to 15 years after the initial measles infection. In 2017, despite the existence of a safe and effective measles vaccine, 110,000 children across the world still died of the disease.

Measles starts with fever, runny nose, cough, red eyes and sore throat. It is followed by a rash that spreads over the body. Measles is highly contagious and spreads through coughing and sneezing.