Rapid escalation of measles cases across the United States, driven by declining vaccination rates and clustered outbreaks, raising concerns about sustained transmission and potential loss of elimination status.
A 9-year-old boy contracted measles during a family visit to Seminole, Texas in early 2025, then returned to Mexico where the disease spread rapidly among his classmates, ultimately forcing their school to shut down.
The Virginia Department of Health officially declared a measles outbreak in Buckingham County on May 13, 2026, after identifying 12 cases. Health officials warn there are likely more cases to come.
Health officials confirmed measles cases in multiple California infants, including a 7-month-old in Orange County, a graduate student in Los Angeles County, and San Francisco's first case since 2019. The infants were too young to be vaccinated, raising concerns about protecting vulnerable children during the ongoing outbreak.
The CDC reports measles outbreaks have now spread to 45 states, putting the US at risk of losing its measles elimination status that was declared in 2000. The agency established seven indicators to monitor elimination status.
Largest measles outbreak in recent U.S. history has been officially declared over after sustained decline in new cases and containment of transmission chains, marking a key public health milestone while underscoring ongoing risks tied to vaccination gaps.
Health officials confirmed measles exposure at Boston's Logan Airport Terminal C on a JetBlue flight, and separately confirmed a measles outbreak in Sacramento with exposure at a pediatric care location. Both incidents prompted vaccination alerts for potentially exposed travelers and community members.
Sacramento and Placer County health officials confirmed a growing measles outbreak in the community, with exposure reported at a pediatric care location. The outbreak comes amid declining vaccination coverage in California.
Utah’s measles outbreak has reached 602 cases, with the majority reported in 2026, contributing significantly to a nationwide surge of 1,748 cases across multiple states, with most infections occurring among unvaccinated or unknown-status individuals.
Public health teams are sequencing measles virus samples to determine whether current outbreaks reflect a single, sustained transmission chain within the U.S. or multiple separate importations, with results critical to assessing elimination status and guiding containment efforts.
