The US closes in on 2,000 measles cases this year, a grim milestone in a year filled with outbreaks. As the calendar turns to 2026, the country faces another pivotal moment: losing its measles elimination status. The US earned measles elimination status in 2000 when it went 12 months without continuous spreading of the virus. The US will likely lose this hard-earned achievement next month, which will mark a full year of uninterrupted community spread.
To date the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has confirmed 1,958 cases across 43 states (plus the Washington, DC). The infections have hospitalized 222 people, 3 of whom died. The majority of reported cases are children: 26% are under 5 years old and 41% are 5-19 years old. Thirty-two percent of infections are older than 19 years of age, while the remaining 1% of patients have unknown ages. Individuals who are not vaccinated against measles account for 93% of cases.
Losing measles elimination status is more than just symbolic. It illuminates the dangerous degradation of public health systems in the US. Falling vaccination rates, under-funded health departments, a broken healthcare system, and lack of science literacy have helped the virus regain a foothold.
Full Story: CIDRAP, Contagion Live
