US measles cases hit 35‑year high, threatening elimination status
The United States has logged 2,295 measles infections in 2026, surpassing the total reported for 2025 and marking the highest annual count in 35 years. About 93 % of the cases involve people who are unvaccinated or whose vaccination status is unknown, and the CDC has recorded 34 separate outbreaks across the country.
Major spikes have been reported in California (52 cases, many in children and young adults), Delaware (four cases in Kent County), Montgomery County, Texas (four family members), Alabama (a resident with no known local exposure), and Clark County, Washington. State health departments are conducting intensive contact‑tracing and urging residents to check and update their MMR vaccination records, especially before travel.
The surge puts the United States’ measles‑elimination status—declared in 2000—at risk of being revoked after a review by the international health body. Similar increases have been noted in neighboring Canada and Mexico, heightening concerns about regional transmission.