In the United States, since the beginning of 2026, 2,318 cases of measles have been registered, which already exceeds the figure for the entire year of 2025, despite the fact that there are still five months left until the end of the year. Such data was published by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Friday.
According to the results of 2025, the CDC recorded 2,289 cases of measles—the highest figure in over 30 years. “What we can count and report is almost always an underestimate of what actually happened, as it depends on whether people seek medical help, get tested, and report the disease to health authorities. Sometimes this simply does not happen,” said the chief epidemiologist of the state of Texas, Dr. Varun Shetti, in an interview with The Associated Press.
Return of measles and decline in vaccination rates
The rapid increase in the number of cases indicates the resurgence of the disease, which was previously brought under control thanks to large-scale vaccination programs. The United States stopped the continuous domestic spread of measles in 2000. At the same time, in recent years, vaccination campaigns have increasingly faced criticism from skeptics, including some representatives of the administration of President Donald Trump, who advocate for limiting vaccination programs, despite the broad scientific consensus on their effectiveness.
The year 2026 has already become the worst for the country in terms of the number of measles outbreaks since 1991. The largest outbreaks of the disease have been recorded in the states of South Carolina, Utah, and Arizona. According to experts, to prevent large-scale outbreaks, the vaccination rate of the population should be at least 95%.
Health authorities in South Carolina, where the largest measles outbreak in 35 years is ongoing, reported 997 confirmed cases, while noting that the actual number of patients is likely higher. The national vaccination rate for preschool children against measles, mumps, and rubella dropped to 92.5% in the 2024–2025 school year, and in some communities, this figure was even lower.
The highest risk during outbreaks is faced by young children and people with weakened immune systems. According to Shetti, this is why a high vaccination rate is critically important for both individuals and entire communities. “It is very important, both for individuals and communities, to have a high level of vaccination coverage,” he emphasized.
Source: Al Jazeera
