The number of measles cases is on a distressing climb in the United States, and a significant outbreak is currently raging through Texas and New Mexico. To date, the states impacted are nineteen in total, with the grim tally of confirmed cases reaching over 400, alongside a report of at least two fatalities, a stark reminder that this highly infectious virus hasn't relinquished its grip on public health.

Measles, as many of us are painfully aware, is unsettlingly contagious. It's a virus that doesn't need much to spread, thriving in the droplets exhaled during a cough or a sneeze, lingering in the air, ready to infect long after the sick person has left the scene. With spring break upon us, health officials are on high alert, wary that holiday traveling could inevitably lead to a spike in cases. As per the County of San Diego, Dr. Seema Shah, Medical Director of County Epidemiology and Immunization Services, cautioned, "If you have traveled internationally or nationally near an outbreak area and are experiencing the symptoms of measles, call your healthcare provider immediately." Shah's advice ironically comes when not a single case has yet been reported in San Diego County this year.

Infants under 12 months are among the most vulnerable, as they typically have yet to receive their measles vaccine. In addition to the very young, those with compromised immune systems and unimmunized children over a year old also face a high risk of contracting the disease. While not always fatal, an infection can rapidly devolve into severe health complications; one in every 1,000 cases among unvaccinated children could end tragically.

The early signs of measles might seem innocuous enough—fever, cough, runny nose, and fatigue, complete with red eyes. But these symptoms are a prelude to a distinctive red rash that starts at the head and eventually makes its way down, claiming the body. There isn't a cure or a specific treatment to reverse the course of measles, but prevention is available and effective. "The best way to prevent measles and protect your child from getting sick is with a vaccine," Dr. Shah affirmed, per the County of San Diego.