U.S. Measles Cases Reach 35-Year High
Measles cases are rising sharply across the United States, reversing decades of progress against a disease once considered eliminated domestically. According to CDC data released July 24, the country has recorded 2,318 cases in 2026, surpassing the 2,289 reported during all of 2025. This year’s total is the highest since 1991, when 9,643 cases were documented.
The first U.S. measles vaccine was introduced in 1963, and sustained vaccination campaigns led health officials to declare the disease eliminated in 2000. For years afterward, annual case counts remained low, including 56 cases in 2003, 55 in 2012, and 13 in 2020.
The recent increase coincides with declining childhood vaccination rates and changes in federal vaccine policy. In January 2026, the CDC reduced the number of routinely recommended childhood vaccines from 17 to 11 following a Trump administration review. The measles vaccine remains recommended, but research cited in the source found that changing federal messaging contributed to lower public confidence in vaccines and the CDC.
Measles vaccination coverage among schoolchildren fell from 95.2% in 2019–2020 to 92.5% in 2024–2025. Public health experts generally identify 95% coverage as the threshold needed for herd immunity, which limits transmission and protects people who cannot be vaccinated.
CDC figures indicate that 93% of measles cases in 2025 and 2026 occurred among unvaccinated children. Seven percent of this year’s patients were hospitalized. No deaths have been reported in 2026, while three occurred in 2025, including two children without known underlying conditions.
Medical specialists quoted by TIME described the situation as an epidemic and warned that measles outbreaks could intensify during future winter and spring seasons. They also raised concerns that pertussis and other preventable childhood diseases could return as vaccination rates decline. The resurgence highlights the role of vaccination coverage, trust, and policy communication in controlling infectious disease transmission.