US loses measles elimination status as cases surpass 5,400 and deaths reach 10

Nov 12, 2026

The United States has lost its measles elimination status, first declared in 2000, as nationwide cases top 5,412 across 2026 and state health departments record 10 deaths. Driven by persistent outbreaks in Utah and Pennsylvania, transmission has continued uninterrupted for over a year. The resurgence coincides with kindergarten MMR vaccination rates falling to 92.4%, public health leadership shifts under HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., and major staffing cuts at the CDC.

Loss of US measles elimination status

▪Utah's continuous measles outbreak of over 700 cases since June 2025 triggered the Pan American Health Organization's decision to revoke U.S. elimination status
▪To regain measles elimination status, the United States must prove continuous transmission has stopped and surveillance tracking systems have been strengthened

U.S. measles case resurgence

▪The 5,412 U.S. measles cases confirmed by the CDC in 2026 represent more than double the total number of measles cases recorded in 2025
▪The CDC confirmed 5,412 U.S. measles cases through November 12, 2026, marking the highest annual count since 1991, with 97 percent occurring in unvaccinated individuals

Measles fatalities reported nationwide

▪State health departments have reported at least 10 measles-associated deaths nationwide in 2026, comprising seven in Pennsylvania, two in Wisconsin, and one in New York
▪Pennsylvania health officials reported the death of an unvaccinated Montour County resident, marking the state's seventh measles death
▪Wisconsin health officials reported the death of a child, marking the state's second measles death

Measles symptoms and risks

▪Young children, pregnant women, and individuals with weakened immune systems face a heightened risk of serious illness from measles
▪Measles causes flu-like symptoms and rash, infecting up to 90 percent of exposed unvaccinated people and risking complications such as encephalitis, pneumonia, and death

Kindergarten MMR vaccination rates

▪Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, national MMR vaccination coverage among U.S. kindergarteners stood at 95 percent, the threshold required to maintain herd immunity
▪National MMR vaccination coverage among U.S. kindergarteners dropped to 92.4 percent for the 2025-2026 school year, below the 95 percent threshold required for herd immunity, while Utah reported an 87.2 percent rate

MMR vaccine effectiveness and guidance

▪The CDC cited safety concerns in its decision to recommend separate MMR and varicella vaccines
▪Two doses of the MMR vaccine provide 97 percent effectiveness in preventing measles infection, according to CDC data

Proposals to unbundle the MMR vaccine

▪Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. described MMR vaccination as a personal choice and promoted splitting the combination MMR vaccine into separate shots
▪President Donald Trump signed an executive order directing HHS to issue a report detailing methods to unbundle the MMR vaccine into three separate components
▪Unbundling the MMR vaccine would require manufacturing retooling for producers Merck & Co. and GSK Plc

CDC leadership and staffing changes

▪Dr. Erica Schwartz assumed leadership as the CDC's first permanent director in nearly a year in August 2026
▪About one-third of career staff at the CDC departed following budget and staffing cuts managed by Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency