Ohio has recorded 122 cases of measles so far this year, and most of them were found in Northeast Ohio.
According to the latest data from the Ohio Department of Health, Geauga County has recorded 32 cases and Ashtabula had another 27. Cuyahoga County recorded three cases, and Trumbull County has had five so far.
All those cases were in unvaccinated or under-vaccinated individuals, or people whose vaccine status is unknown, according to ODH.
In 2025, Ohio recorded a total of 45 cases of measles. There were seven cases in 2024, and one in 2023.
Ohio is following a nationwide trend; 3,134 measles cases have been confirmed so far this year. Those include two infant deaths tied to a measles outbreak in Pennsylvania.
“It’s concerning and frustrating because we have hit for the U.S. our highest rate of measles in the past 35 years now,” Cleveland Clinic Infectious Disease Specialist Dr. Donald Dumford said.
Still, Dumford said people who have already received their MMR vaccines don’t have much to worry about.
“Really the MMR vaccine is pretty miraculous,” Dumford said. “One dose of MMR for measles is 93% effective. That means you're going to reduce your risk of measles by 93%. That second dose is actually going to get you to 97%.”
Dumford said the MMR vaccine is “very safe.”
He said those concerned about being unvaccinated or under-vaccinated should discuss their options with a primary care physician, who may recommend a measles antibody test or an MMR booster.
Measles is a highly contagious viral disease. Symptoms include a high fever, cough, runny nose and watery eyes, white spots that can appear inside the mouth and a rash that starts on the face and spreads downward. The measles virus can remain in the air or on surfaces for up to two hours after an infected person leaves a room. It typically takes seven to 14 days for symptoms to appear after exposure.
Officials in Warren on August 23 warned the public of a potential exposure at Mercy Health - St. Joseph Warren Hospital’s emergency room. Officials suggest patients call ahead prior to entering a healthcare facility if they're concerned they may have measles and need to visit an emergency room.
