US measles cases reach 4,080 for the year, highest in decades

Oct 9, 2026

The United States is experiencing its worst measles outbreak in decades, with confirmed cases rising to 4,080 as of October 8, 2026. Pennsylvania has emerged as the epicenter, reporting over 1,100 cases and five deaths, though the CDC has only recognized two. While states like Pennsylvania and New York implement emergency measures and pop-up vaccine clinics to combat the spread among largely unvaccinated populations, HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is drawing scrutiny for fanning vaccine skepticism while shifting federal focus toward tracking vaccine injuries.

U.S. measles case statistics

▪As of October 8, 2026, all but five states in the United States have reported at least one confirmed measles case during the calendar year
▪All but four of the measles cases reported in the United States as of October 8, 2026, occurred among unvaccinated individuals
▪The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 4,080 confirmed measles cases in the United States as of October 8, 2026, representing an increase of 193 cases from the previous week
▪The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention identified 26 measles cases among international visitors to the United States as of October 8, 2026
▪Children and teenagers aged 5 to 19 accounted for 1,716 measles cases in the United States as of October 8, 2026, while adults aged 20 and older accounted for 1,635 cases

Comparison to the 1991 outbreak

▪The 1991 U.S. measles outbreak of 9,643 cases occurred as the nation struggled to roll out vaccinations amid budget cuts that affected programs in major cities
▪The 4,080 measles cases recorded in the United States as of October 8, 2026, represent the highest annual total since 1991, when the nation recorded 9,643 cases

State-level measles outbreaks

▪Other states reporting high measles case counts in 2026 include South Carolina with 670 cases, Utah with 535 cases, Wisconsin with 207 cases, and Kentucky with 104 cases
▪New York declared a statewide disaster emergency over a measles outbreak after reporting 108 cases through October 3, 2026, including 92 cases since July 15, 2026
▪Pennsylvania has become the epicenter of the 2026 U.S. measles outbreak, with the state health department reporting 1,136 cases as of October 9, 2026

Measles hospitalizations

▪Measles-related hospitalizations in the United States accounted for 10% of the total confirmed cases as of October 8, 2026
▪U.S. measles-related hospitalizations reached 414 as of October 8, 2026, compared with 244 hospitalizations in 2025, with Pennsylvania alone accounting for 219 hospitalizations

Discrepancies in measles death data

▪The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed two measles-associated deaths in the United States in 2026, compared with three deaths nationwide in 2025
▪The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention shifted in September 2026 to using mortality data from the National Center for Health Statistics for measles-related deaths rather than relying on state health departments
▪Pennsylvania health officials reported five deaths linked to the state's measles outbreak in 2026, drawing a protest from Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro over the CDC's recognition of only two deaths

Lewistown measles fatality

▪An 18-year-old woman in Lewistown, Pennsylvania, died in September 2026 from brain swelling caused by the measles virus, as reported by the Lewistown Sentinel
▪Two brothers of an 18-year-old Lewistown woman who died of measles-induced brain swelling in September 2026 survived their own infections with the virus

Pennsylvania vaccination efforts

▪Pennsylvania health officials established pop-up vaccine clinics in the areas most affected by Pennsylvania's measles outbreak to increase vaccination rates
▪Pennsylvania's health department announced a surge of interest in measles vaccinations, with more than 56,000 doses administered in September 2026, more than twice the usual monthly volume

Federal vaccine policy and criticism

▪While the U.S. federal government offered financial assistance to U.S. states to combat measles, Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. faced criticism for fanning vaccination fears and skepticism
▪U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced plans to emphasize vaccine injury, including establishing a new clinic and strengthening a database that tracks post-vaccination problems

Debatable claims

▪New York's disaster emergency declaration is a proportionate response to its measles outbreak
▪The CDC should rely on state health departments to count measles deaths
▪RFK Jr.’s focus on vaccine injuries undermines the response to the measles outbreak