New Jersey has three confirmed cases of measles, a highly contagious respiratory virus sparking some concerning outbreaks across the country, according to the state health department. According to health officials,

The cases identified in New Jersey are separate from a serious measles outbreak that has swept through West Texas in the last month, with doctors diagnosing 124 cases in nine counties.

The New Jersey Department of Health confirmed an initial measles case on Feb. 14 in an unvaccinated individual, and by Feb. 20, two additional cases were identified in people who had close contact with the original patient.

New measles cases have been confirmed in New Jersey and Kentucky with the one common factor being a lack of measles vaccinations.

For those who were vaccinated for measles many decades ago, there’s a chance the protection has worn off by now. Here's how to determine whether you need a booster.

As measles cases surge in Texas and other states, US Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr claims such outbreaks are routine. Public health experts warn that declining vaccination rates are fuelling larger and more frequent outbreaks,

The spread of measles in New Jersey comes as 124 people have been infected by the disease in Texas, where one child died.