Shakira performs on MetLife Stadium. Credit: Instagram @shakira
According to U.S. health officials, a measles infected person attended a May 15 concert at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, urging a warning of great exposure.
The event attracted tens of thousands of fans. 2025 is becoming the largest measles outbreak in the United States within 25 years.
Health officials will issue warning after Shakira Met Life Concert
The New Jersey Department of Health confirmed on Wednesday, May 21 that a person infected with measles attended a Shakira concert held in East Rutherford on Thursday, May 15th. In a statement, the department said it may have been exposed to the virus as reported between 7:30pm on May 15th, 7:30pm on May 16th, and 7:30pm on May 16th. USA TODAY.
country He also reported that the infected individual was from outside New Jersey, and that this was the second stop on Shakira’s US tour. Women don’t cry anymore. The stadium, which has a maximum capacity of 82,500 people, was close to capacity.
Authorities have urged people who attended the event and suspected symptoms to call their doctors before seeking direct treatment. This allows hospitals to take precautions to prevent infection in advance to limit the spread of the virus.
There are no linked cases yet, but symptoms may still appear
As of May 21, no cases of measles have been identified in connection with the Shakira concert, according to the New Jersey Department of Health. However, the department warned that symptoms may not develop until June 6 due to a 7-14-day incubation period for measles.
This was New Jersey’s second measles exposure event. On May 12, a measles-infected traveler spent several hours at Terminal B at Newar Liberty International Airport, according to the state health department.
CDC confirms more than 1,000 measles cases in 2025
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said as of May 16, at least 30 US states had 1,024 confirmed cases of measles. According to the CDC, this marks the largest outbreak in the United States since 2000 when measles was eliminated nationwide.
The CDC states:
- 92% of measles cases are associated with outbreaks
- 30% of infections occur in children under the age of 5
- 38% are involved in people aged 5 to 19
- 128 patients are hospitalized, including 69 children less than 5
- Three deaths, two children and one adult
The biggest outbreak is concentrated in West Texas, with 722 cases reported since late January, according to the Texas Department of Health.
The CDC also noted that 96% of cases in 2025 were either unvaccinated or individuals with unknown vaccination status.
Why measles spreads so easily
According to the CDC, measles is “very contagious” and can spread when an infected person “coughs, sneezes, or even breathes in the room. The virus can survive in the air for up to two hours after the person leaves.
As outlined by the CDC, measles symptoms are usually displayed on 7-14 days after exposure and include:
- High fever
- cough
- snot
- Red, watery eyes
- Rash that appears 3-5 days after other symptoms begin
Complications can be serious. The CDC warns that measles can cause pneumonia, ear infections, diarrhea, hearing loss, and encephalitis (brain swelling) in severe cases, which occurs in about 1 per 1,000 infected people. country It adds that encephalitis is at a higher risk of death or long-term neurological damage.
Health experts encourage vaccinations against measles (MMR JAB)
The CDC emphasizes that the best protection against measles is the MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccine.
According to the National Infectious Diseases Foundation, adults born before 1957 are generally considered immunity, and probably had measles as children.
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