The United States has recorded 2,295 cases of measles this year, marking the highest total in 35 years and surpassing the entirety of 2025's reported cases by nine infections. This surge has triggered renewed concerns about the nation's ability to maintain its measles elimination status, a designation meaning the US has not experienced sustained domestic transmission of the virus for at least 12 months.
South Carolina, Utah, Texas, Virginia, and Florida have reported the highest case counts in the current year, with 671, 514, 186, 177, and 141 cases respectively. A total of 34 new outbreaks have been identified nationwide.
The last time measles cases surpassed this year's total was in 1991, when 9,643 infections were reported. For the past 25 years, measles has been considered eliminated in the US.
Measles is a highly contagious viral illness characterized by symptoms such as cough, fever, and a blotchy rash that begins on the face and spreads downwards. It is preventable with the two-dose Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMR) vaccine, which is typically administered in childhood. The virus spreads through direct contact with infectious droplets or through the air, and individuals are contagious from four days before the rash appears through four days after.
In severe instances, measles can lead to serious complications including pneumonia, inflammation of the brain, and permanent neurological damage. Historically, before the widespread availability of the MMR vaccine in the 1960s, measles caused epidemics with millions of deaths globally each year. By 2023, global deaths attributed to measles had fallen significantly.
Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who previously chaired an organization that advocated against school vaccine mandates, has since affirmed the effectiveness of the MMR vaccine. In April 2025, he stated that the MMR vaccine is the 'most effective way' to prevent the virus, a stance he took after visiting families affected by a significant measles outbreak in West Texas. That outbreak, which began the previous year primarily within an unvaccinated religious community, led to 762 cases and two deaths in Texas by August 2025, making it the state's largest outbreak since 1992.
While no measles deaths have been recorded this year, approximately 6% of reported cases, totaling 146 patients, have required hospitalization. The virus can invade the respiratory system, spread to lymph nodes, and affect organs such as the lungs, brain, and central nervous system. Complications like brain swelling, though rare, can be fatal or lead to lasting disabilities.