A person infected with measles traveled by train from Chicago to Los Angeles and then continued by train and bus across at least six California counties before heading to Denver, according to the California Department of Public Health. The individual, who was not vaccinated against measles, was hospitalized after a five-day journey from September 10 to 15. Health officials are urging residents to get vaccinated, as measles can lead to serious, long-term health issues like brain damage and can be fatal, particularly for children. The person’s travel route has been made public, and those who were on the same trains, buses, or at the stations on the relevant days may have been exposed to the virus. Officials caution that the published arrival and departure times may not match actual times and are working with federal and local authorities to notify people who might be at risk. The United States is currently facing the highest number of measles cases since 1991, with outbreaks reported in 45 states and the District of Columbia this year, according to the University of Minnesota's Center for Infectious Disease Research & Policy. As of the latest report, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed 3,471 cases. Ninety-five percent of these cases involve individuals who are either unvaccinated or have unknown vaccination status. Only five states — Arkansas, Hawaii, Mississippi, Nevada, and New Hampshire — have not reported any measles infections. Pennsylvania has recorded four deaths related to measles, but they are not listed on the CDC's website, which notes that no death records from 2026 indicate measles as the underlying cause. President Donald Trump’s former health secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., has downplayed the severity of the measles outbreak, attributing it to a global epidemic and claiming the U.S. is managing the situation better than other countries. However, data from the World Health Organization (WHO), as reported by FactCheck.org, shows the U.S. had 13.2 cases per 1 million people as of September 14, placing it at No. 65 out of 169 countries with measles data. This places the U.S. in the worst 38 percent of countries in terms of measles prevalence. Josh Michaud, an associate director at the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF), noted that several developed nations have very few or no measles outbreaks. A spokesperson for the Department of Health and Human Services has not yet responded to requests for comment. Measles is a highly contagious viral disease that spreads through the air and can cause severe complications, including pneumonia, encephalitis, and even death. It is preventable through vaccination, which is why health officials emphasize the importance of immunization. The recent outbreaks have raised concerns about declining vaccination rates in some communities, leading to increased public health efforts to educate and protect the population.