2 publishers · first seen Tue, 27 Oct 2026 22:22 UTC · updated Thu, 29 Oct 2026 18:04 UTC
The U.S. has recorded 4,588 confirmed measles cases in 2026, with 4,404 cases linked to domestic outbreaks, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Only 18 cases were reported among international visitors, and 43 outbreaks have been identified this year. The number of cases surpassed 4,500 by October, exceeding the 2,289 cases recorded in 2025, the previous worst year in recent history. Health officials in Pennsylvania reported two measles-related deaths in Lancaster County in August, the state's first in 35 years, with both individuals unvaccinated.
CDC data shows 92.4% of U.S. kindergartners received the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine in the 2025-2026 school year, down from 92.5% the prior year and below the 95% threshold needed for herd immunity. Health experts attribute the rise in cases to declining vaccination rates, with the vast majority of infections occurring in unvaccinated individuals. Despite claims by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. that the U.S. is managing the outbreak better than other countries, dozens of nations have lower case rates, and the surge is primarily driven by domestic spread.
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