Study reveals steep financial burden of New Mexico measles outbreak

A cost analysis of the 2025 measles outbreak in New Mexico found that the outbreak carried an estimated societal cost of $5.4 million, or more than $53,000 per case. Vaccination-related activities accounted for the largest share of the public health response, underscoring both the high cost of containing outbreaks and the value of maintaining strong vaccination coverage to prevent them. The findings are published in Annals of Internal Medicine.

Researchers from the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the New Mexico Department of Health analyzed costs associated with the public health response, medical care, and lost productivity among 100 confirmed cases (including one death), 205 exposed contacts, and 133 public health responders of the 2025 New Mexico measles outbreak.

Using cost analysis methods from a societal perspective, the researchers estimated that the outbreak generated $5.4 million in societal costs, with public health response efforts accounting for roughly $3.2 million and vaccination-related activities making up about $2.1 million of that total. The findings reveal the high costs associated with a measles outbreak in the United States and highlight how vaccination programs and outbreak preparedness can help communities avoid the substantial health and economic consequences of vaccine-preventable diseases.