US reports worst measles outbreak in 35 years

Official US figures released Friday show the country is experiencing its worst measles outbreak in 35 years. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has recorded 2,318 confirmed cases since the start of 2026.

That is above the 2,289 cases recorded in 2025, a year that had already broken records and included three deaths, two of them young children.

Andrew Racine, president of the American Academy of Pediatrics, called the outbreak an avoidable crisis that disproportionately hurts children and said it should not become accepted as normal.

Measles can cause fever, respiratory symptoms and rashes. In some cases, it can lead to severe complications such as pneumonia and brain inflammation, with possible long-term effects or death.

The United States declared measles eradicated in 2000 after vaccination. The source says the disease has returned strongly in recent years as vaccination rates have declined and distrust of health authorities has grown. It also says US Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has been accused of contributing to the crisis by spreading anti-vaccine sentiment and fears about established immunizations.

The last time the United States had such a high number of measles cases was in 1991, when 9,643 cases were recorded. Cases later fell sharply after a two-dose vaccine regimen became standard. Before the first measles vaccine was developed in the early 1960s, measles killed hundreds of children each year in the United States. It continues to kill tens of thousands of people worldwide.

The current US outbreak has not been contained, and experts cited in the report expect the number of cases to keep rising. Melissa Nolan, a professor of epidemiology at the University of South Carolina, said she believes cases are being underdiagnosed. South Carolina has recorded the highest number of infections in the country this year.

Nolan said people who choose not to vaccinate their children may also be less likely to seek medical care. Although measles vaccination is mandatory in the United States, the source says many people can avoid the requirement by citing religious reasons, and in some places philosophical reasons.

The report says non-medical vaccine exemptions have increased since the Covid-19 pandemic, along with vaccine misinformation and distrust of health authorities. Nolan said people in South Carolina can find many places and social media feeds that explain how to obtain an exemption.

A September 2025 poll by The Washington Post and KFF found that one in six American parents avoid or delay vaccinating their children because of concerns about side effects and lack of trust in health authorities. The source says this trend is especially pronounced among white and conservative communities and is a concern for medical experts.

Nolan said measles is often the first disease to produce large outbreaks because it spreads very easily. She said more pertussis cases and other vaccine-preventable diseases may also appear later.