May 29, 2025

Dear USET/USET SPF Family,

The USET Office of Tribal Public Health (OTPH) is committed to keeping USET member Tribal Nations informed with proactive information that is essential for protecting individuals and communities. Since early 2025, there has been an outbreak of measles across the United States. This outbreak has spread rapidly and continues to do so, with summer approaching and more recreational travel beginning to increase, this can contribute to an even higher rise in the spread. In a previous USET Alert, we provided guidance on measles symptomology, complications, and information on how the measles vaccination works and spoke on vaccine hesitancy surrounding this vaccine. That alert is linked here. USET Programmatic Alert | Measles Information and Guidance.

Survey

To better serve you, we have attached a brief 5-minute survey intended for Tribal Leaders, Health Directors, and Health Care Administrators. By completing this survey, you enable us to enhance our role as your Tribal Epidemiology Center and tailor our services to better meet your community's health needs. Click here to take the survey.

Update on Measles Outbreak

As of May 8, 2025, there are 1,001 cases in the United States, 1476 cases in Canada, with approximately 1440 in Ontario (Public Health Ontario, 2025) and 36 in Quebec (Government of Canada, 2025), and 421 cases in Mexico (Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization 2025).

Figure 1. Current Measles Cases as of May 8, 2025

Measles is the most infectious disease, which is why impending summer travel is a predicted precursor to a rise in cases. Still, summer vacations are not the only types of travel in which the disease can spread. As seen above, a measles outbreak is also occurring in Canada. According to Public Health Ontario, a public health department, immunization rates for measles are very low, with only 4.4% of people reporting having two doses and 1.3% having one dose of the vaccine in Ontario, Canada's most populous province (N=15,996,989).

Figure 2. Canadian Province Populations in 2025

Measles is occurring across Turtle Island and can cross country borders as people travel. USET conducts active surveillance regarding measles. Some of our USET member Tribal Nations have close geographical locations to the Canadian outbreak, and an additional increased risk of transmission due to factors such as dual citizenship, family members, and recreational and business travel across the border.

Additional Resources/Information

1. Be Ready for Measles Toolkit
2. Canada: Population in 2025
3. IPC Recommendations for Measles in Healthcare Settings
4. USET Infectious Disease Echo: Measles Evaluation, Treatment and Prevention-April 8th, 2025

If you need any assistance or have any questions or concerns, please contact usetepi@usetinc.org.

References

Government of Canada. (2025). Measles and Rubella Weekly Monitoring Report — Canada.ca. Canada.ca. https://health-infobase.canada.ca/measles-rubella/

Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization. Epidemiological Update: Measles in the Americas Region, 2 May 2025. Washington, D.C.: PAHO/WHO; 2025.

Public Health Ontario. (2025). Measles in Ontario Enhanced Epidemiological Summary. Public Health Ontario. https://www.publichealthontario.ca/en/diseases-and-conditions/infectious-diseases/vaccine-preventable-diseases/measles

Established in 1969, the United South and Eastern Tribes, Inc. (USET) is a non-profit, inter-Tribal organization serving thirty-three (33) federally recognized Tribal Nations from the Northeastern Woodlands to the Everglades and across the Gulf of Mexico. USET is dedicated to enhancing the development of Tribal Nations, improving the capabilities of Tribal governments, and improving the quality of life for Indian people through a variety of technical and supportive programmatic services.