Measles outbreak causes New Albany school to close

NEW ALBANY, Ohio — Cases of measles are on the rise and health officials are sounding the alarm.

The highly contagious virus, once thought to be nearly eliminated in the U.S., is making a comeback.

An early learning center in New Albany is closing down on Oct. 6 because of a measles outbreak.

“It’s actually deeply concerning that in 2025 we’re still able to see outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases. As a family that follows the guidance of our qualified pediatrician and vaccinate accordingly, it’s really frustrating to know that our schools remain vulnerable due to gaps in immunity,” said Molly Williams, a mother. “This week’s school closure is especially difficult for preschool parents, and it’s not just about an inconvenience; it’s about a child that contracted a disease that’s preventable.”

Williams said she hopes this serves as a wake-up call that some diseases like measles have become rare, but are still around. She said everyone has a role in protecting our communities.

Ohio has seen an increase in measles cases, recording 34 this year compared to seven last year.

In 2022, Ohio had 90 cases of measles, when an outbreak in Central Ohio totaled 85 cases.

This year’s spike was also related to an outbreak in Ashtabula County in March.

Nine cases were linked to just one man, who was the state’s first reported case in 2025 and none of those infected were vaccinated.

As for nationwide vaccinations, those experienced a sharp decrease from 95% in the 2019-2020 school year to 92% in 2023 and 2024.

According to the CDC, when more than 95% of people in a community are vaccinated, most are protected through herd immunity. Ohio is sitting at 89%.