Measles outbreak in New Mexico cost $5.4 million, study finds

A single measles outbreak in New Mexico in 2025 carried an estimated social cost of $5.4 million, according to a study by state health officials and the CDC published in Annals of Internal Medicine. The figure covers medical care, public health response, and lost productivity tied to 100 confirmed cases, 205 exposed contacts, and 133 public health workers involved in containment Source: infobae.

Cost breakdown

The largest share, $3.2 million, went to the public health response, with about $2.1 million for vaccination campaigns. Direct medical costs totaled $290,000, including $238,000 for seven hospitalizations, $32,000 for 79 outpatient visits, and $20,000 for 1,286 lab tests. Lost productivity added nearly $1.6 million, reflecting absences of patients, caregivers, quarantined contacts, and one person who died Source: infobae.

Vaccination gap

Only 14% of those infected had at least one dose of the MMR vaccine, and half of the cases were adults. The outbreak began in February 2025 with an unvaccinated child. In response, New Mexico expanded vaccination access, boosting MMR doses by 55% between January and September 2025 compared with the prior year Source: elespanol.

Disagreement on case count

Sources differ on the number of cases: infobae reports 100 confirmed cases, while elespanol says 99. Both agree on seven hospitalizations and one death. The study's authors caution that the estimate may be incomplete, as it excluded over-the-counter medications, travel costs, and relied on insurance data rather than actual medical costs Source: infobae.