On Apr. 2, 2025, the Oklahoma Children’s Hospital (OU Health) announced it had taken swift action to address a recent measles exposure and strongly urged vaccination to protect children across Oklahoma. Two MMR shots given to children before age 6 provide full immunization for life.

The Oklahoma State Department of Health (OSDH) alerted OU Health on April 1, 2025, to a potential measles exposure at Oklahoma Children’s Hospital on the evening of March 23, 2025. OU Health worked closely with the OSDH on contact tracing to ensure the safety of patients, staff and the community.

Texas and New Mexico were experiencing measles outbreaks, and Oklahoma was seeing case numbers increase over the last few weeks.

As of April 1, 2025, Oklahoma had reported eight confirmed and two probable cases. Texas was grappling with a significant outbreak, reporting 422 cases since late January, with one fatality. New Mexico had reported 48 cases, with health officials indicating a link to the outbreak in Texas; all cases seem to be linked to unvaccinated status.

These outbreaks underscore the vital importance of vaccination in preventing the spread of this highly contagious disease within and across state lines.