There have been more than 1,000 cases of measles reported across the country as the outbreak continues, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and state health departments. 

The disease was declared eliminated in the U.S. in 2000, but the outbreak, which began in Texas has spread to dozens of other states and is putting the U.S. on track for one of the worst outbreaks since 2000. 

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More than 800 of the 1,002 cases are centered in an outbreak in West Texas, which has spread to neighboring New Mexico and Oklahoma. Public health experts have said there is likely a higher number of cases than reported.

Until this year, the U.S. averaged 180 cases of measles per year since 2000, according to CDC data. 

2019 was the only other year in which cases surpassed 1,000 cases due to a widespread outbreak in New York City and a New York suburb. That year, there were 1,274 confirmed measles cases, which is just 272 more than reported in the first five months of this year.

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At least two children who were not vaccinated against the disease have died. The disease is most dangerous to children under 5. Symptoms include a fever, cough, runny nose, and white spots on the skin called koplik spots. 

Measles is highly contagious — up to 90% of unvaccinated people will contract measles if exposed. Just under 93% of people in the U.S. are vaccinated against measles and a 95% vaccination threshold must be reached to achieve herd immunity.