OHA release - There are currently no measles cases in Oregon. However, being one of the most contagious viruses in the world, measles activity elsewhere in the United States has public health officials in Oregon concerned about the future. Measles vaccination rates in Oregon (and nationwide) have been dropping slowly and steadily in recent years, which can lead to more outbreaks that are harder to contain and, potentially, a major public health problem.  An outbreak is defined as three or more related cases. As of today, March 20, a regional measles outbreak in the Southwest U.S. includes 279 cases in Texas and 38 cases in New Mexico. Also, nearby Oklahoma has reported 4 measles cases since March 11—all unvaccinated and originating from the Texas/New Mexico outbreak.  In Texas, 36 cases have been hospitalized, including one school-aged child who died—the first measles death in the U.S. since a person died of it in 2015. Among all Texas cases, only two are known to have gotten any doses of measles vaccine; the remaining 277 cases are either unvaccinated against measles, or their vaccination status is unknown. The child who died was unvaccinated.  In New Mexico, two people were hospitalized, and one adult has died. State health officials report 29 of the 38 total measles cases are unvaccinated (including the person who died), five have unknown vaccination status, and four received at least one dose of measles vaccine.  Last summer, Oregon recorded 31 measles cases—the most since 1991. Two were hospitalized, and 24 of the cases were children and young adults under 20. All 31 cases were unvaccinated.  In order to help Oregonians understand their risk and to provide information about the measles vaccine, we asked a series of common questions to Paul Cieslak, medical director for OHA’s communicable diseases and immunizations division.