Measles cases in the United States have surpassed 5,000 this year, according to newly updated data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). A total of 5,182 cases have been confirmed across 45 states and Washington, D.C., with 18 cases involving international visitors.

Eight measles-associated deaths have been confirmed so far in 2026, including fatalities reported in Pennsylvania, New York, and Wisconsin. Three of these deaths were confirmed by state health officials this week. The New York State Department of Health reported its first measles-associated death in over 30 years, a child from upstate New York. Pennsylvania confirmed a death in an unvaccinated Jefferson County resident, and Wisconsin health officials reported the death of an infant, the state's first since 1990.

The CDC has confirmed four of the eight deaths, noting the number is subject to change.

Measles cases have been reported in Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.

Approximately 96% of confirmed cases are among individuals who are unvaccinated or whose vaccination status is unknown. Two percent of cases are in those who received one dose of the measles, mumps, rubella (MMR) vaccine, and another 2% are in those who received the recommended two doses, according to CDC data.

The age group with the most cases is 5 to 19 years old. Hospitalization has occurred in at least 11% of cases, including more than 10% of children under 5.

The CDC recommends two doses of the MMR vaccine: the first at 12 to 15 months and the second between 4 and 6 years old. One dose offers 93% effectiveness, while two doses provide 97% effectiveness against measles. However, CDC data indicates that vaccination rates have declined in recent years. For the 2025-26 school year, 92.4% of kindergartners received the MMR vaccine, a decrease from 95.2% in the 2019-20 school year, prior to the COVID-19 pandemic.