Measles in the US: 5,182 cases and eight deaths as elimination status is at risk

The United States has recorded 5,182 confirmed measles cases in 2026, the highest annual total since 1991, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The figure is more than double the 2,289 cases reported in 2025. The CDC logged 330 new infections in its most recent weekly update, the 13th consecutive week of triple-digit increases.

At least eight measles-related deaths have been confirmed by state health authorities, including cases involving very young children. Children and teenagers account for about 59% of confirmed cases. Children under five make up 18%, and those aged five to 19 account for 41%. Unvaccinated people or those with unknown vaccination status represent 96% of cases, and 11% of patients have been hospitalized. The majority of cases, 4,993, were outbreak-associated.

Only five states have reported no measles cases in 2026: Arkansas, Hawaii, Mississippi, Nevada, and New Hampshire. Pennsylvania is a hotspot with 1,487 cases for the year, including 61 new infections in the most recent week and a sixth reported fatality in the state.

Kindergarten MMR coverage has fallen from 95.2% in the 2019-2020 school year to 92.4% in 2025-2026. Two doses of the MMR vaccine are 97% effective at preventing measles.

The US is on track to lose its measles elimination status, a designation it has held since 2000. Measles is highly contagious and vaccine-preventable. Falling kindergarten coverage means outbreaks can spread more easily, and the current surge is already hospitalizing 11% of patients and killing at least eight people, disproportionately affecting children and teens.