Massachusetts health officials have confirmed the state's first measles case this year as the outbreak continues to spread across the US.
The patient, who has not been identified, was diagnosed with the infectious disease on Sunday and may have exposed others in the greater Boston area, according to a release from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health.
During the infectious period, the person visited several locations including a Starbucks, a Staples, a Whole Foods and a Target.
This brings the total number of states where cases have been confirmed up to 16, and public health experts fear the number could rise even further.
The first case of measles in Massachusetts was confirmed in the greater Boston area, bringing the total number of states implicated in the nationwide outbreak up to 16
'The measles virus is currently causing large national and international outbreaks of measles and a lack of vaccination, combined with domestic and international travel, has resulted in the spread of illness,' said Dr Catherine Brown, the state's epidemiologist, in a statement.
'Getting vaccinated is the best way to protect yourself from this disease.'
It is unclear if the infected patient was vaccinated, and the Massachusetts Department of Public Health did not immediately return DailyMail.com's request for comment.
On Monday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that 387 cases have been confirmed this year, surpassing the count for all of 2018, which was 372.
The 2019 tally is the second-highest since measles was considered to be eradicated in 2000, putting this year on track to beat the record-high of 667 cases in 2014.
The highly infectious disease has been spreading among people who are unvaccinated or live in states that allow non-medical exemptions for vaccines.
Cases have been confirmed in Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Illinois, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Texas and Washington.
Of those states, six - Arizona, Colorado, Michigan, Oregon, Texas and Washington - allow exemptions for philosophical and/or personal beliefs.
Most people will recover from measles within one or two weeks, but sometimes complications can develop.
People most at risk include teenagers and adults, babies
