Public health officials have identified a case of measles in a Montezuma County resident in southwest Colorado.
According to the state health department, it marks the state's 32nd case of the year, far more than any recent year.
It comes as the nation has seen a huge rise in cases. For the first time in 25 years, the U.S. could lose its measles-free status.
The state and Montezuma County health departments say the case is in a school-aged child. They had not received the MMR vaccine that protects against measles, mumps, and rubella. The child developed symptoms after recently traveling to an area of another state where there is an ongoing measles outbreak. Health officials are issuing an alert about potential community exposures between Nov. 5 and 11 in the towns of Cortez and Mancos.
People there should monitor for symptoms and consider skipping public gatherings or high-risk settings through Thanksgiving until Dec. 4. Monitoring for symptoms is especially important for people who have not been vaccinated with the MMR vaccine.
Symptoms include fever, cough, runny nose, red eyes, and a rash that typically starts several days later on the face and spreads.
Measles is highly contagious and can lead to serious health problems. In five cases this year, the person with measles has been hospitalized; no one has died.
Health officials say the strongest protection comes with vaccination.
Among Colorado’s cases, three-quarters have been in people who are unvaccinated or have unknown vaccine status. The cases have been recorded around the state, including Denver and El Paso, Pueblo and Mesa counties, and one other southern Colorado county, Archuleta.
Nationally, measles has seen a dramatic resurgence in 2025. A total of 1,681 cases were recorded from nearly every state, according to the CDC. About half the cases were reported in Texas, with Arizona and New Mexico each having at least 100. Twelve percent (203) were hospitalized, and three people died. Nine out of 10 U.S cases occurred in people who were unvaccinated or have unknown vaccine status.
People exposed to measles generally develop symptoms between a week to 21 days after exposure.
If you get symptoms, immediately contact your health care provider by phone, the state health department said in a press release.
If you do not have a provider, call an urgent care center or emergency department and explain that you may have been exposed to the virus. Calling ahead helps prevent additional exposures, health officials say.
For more information, you can check the CDPHE measles webpage. It includes information about symptoms, transmission, and vaccine recommendations, 2025 Colorado measles case information, and a current list of exposure locations.
