A measles outbreak that began in a Chicago migrant shelter in the spring of 2024 cost an estimated $8.7 million in under eight weeks, or about $152,636 for each of the 57 people infected. The estimate comes from CDC and Illinois public health scientists in an economic evaluation newly published in JAMA Network Open.
The findings, summarized by CIDRAP, put a price on a question many health departments now face. As of Sept. 24, the CDC had confirmed 3,659 measles cases nationwide in 2026, with 95% linked to outbreaks, according to its measles cases and outbreaks page.
