In this article
The United States has recorded 4,852 confirmed measles cases so far in 2026, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than double the 2,289 cases reported in the whole of 2025, with two months of the year still to go.
The latest figure, as of October 29, is up 5.8 percent from the previous week's count of 4,588. It is the highest annual total in more than three decades.
Driven by outbreaks
Almost all cases are part of outbreaks. The CDC has counted 43 new outbreaks this year, and 96 percent of confirmed cases (4,666 of 4,852) are linked to outbreaks, including 1,384 tied to outbreaks that began in 2025. Twenty-six cases were among international visitors.
The CDC lists three measles deaths in 2026, a figure it says may change. Pennsylvania's health department separately reports five measles-associated deaths within the state, so federal and state counts currently differ.
Who is getting sick
Earlier CDC data showed that about 93 percent of cases were among people who were unvaccinated or whose vaccination status was unknown.
Measles is one of the most contagious diseases known. The virus spreads through the air and can linger in a room for up to two hours after an infected person leaves. It can cause pneumonia, brain swelling and death, particularly in young children. Two doses of the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine are about 97 percent effective at preventing it.
A threat to elimination status
The United States declared measles eliminated in 2000, meaning the disease was no longer continuously spreading within the country. A country loses that status if a single chain of transmission continues for 12 months or more. With large numbers of cases tied to outbreaks that began last year, public health experts have warned that US elimination status is at risk. Canada lost its status in November 2025.
The surge follows a decline in childhood vaccination rates, as more parents seek exemptions from school vaccine requirements.
The true number may be higher
The CDC counts only confirmed cases reported by state and local health departments. Probable cases are not included in its totals, so the real number of infections is likely to be higher. Anyone unsure of their vaccination status can check with their doctor or local health department.
Sources and references
- 1.Measles Cases and Outbreaks — CDCPrimary source
- 2.Measles Update: October 30, 2026 — Contagion Live
- 3.US records 4,410 measles cases as outbreak grows — Al Jazeera
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