The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed 42 new measles cases this week, raising the national total to 1,723 infections in 2025. Cases have been reported in 41 states and the District of Columbia. Ninety-two percent of people infected were not vaccinated (or had unknown vaccination status) against the virus. Just 4% of patients infected had gotten the recommended two doses of the vaccine.
2025 is the United States’ worst year on record for measles cases since 2000, when the country earned measles elimination status. This designation means that a country has a continuous 12 month period without large outbreaks or many locally acquired cases. Canada officially lost its elimination status this week because of a sustained outbreak that sickened over 5,000 people. The US may be at risk of losing its measles elimination status if current outbreaks continue uninterrupted for several more months.
