US Measles Cases Surpass Last Year’s Count

Measles has continued its historic resurgence in the United States this year, with the Centers for Disease Control reporting a second record-breaking year in a row. The total number of measles cases in 2026 has already surpassed last year’s total, according to CDC data posted on Friday. At least 2,318 cases have been reported with more than five months left in the year.

Just over halfway through 2026, the country has recorded more cases than in any other year since 1991, surpassing a milestone that was just topped in 2025, CNN reported. The disease was declared eliminated in the U.S. in 2000, but more cases have been recorded in the past 18 months than there have been in the previous 25 years combined, the news agency said. International health officials will assess when they meet in November whether the U.S. can still claim to have measles elimination status.

New cases are reported by the CDC each week, with new large outbreaks adding to others that have simmered since last year. South Carolina has reported more measles cases in 2026 than any other state with 670 cases. This summer, Virginia has become a new hotspot with 176 cases as of July 23. 

This year, 35 new outbreaks have started, and all but seven states have reported cases. Most cases (93%) are among people who are unvaccinated or whose vaccination status is unknown, CDC data showed. While 7% of measles cases this year have required hospitalization, no deaths have been recorded. In 2025, 11% of measles cases required hospitalization and three people died.

Experts said the potential for measles outbreaks remains anywhere vaccination rates remain below 95%, a key immunity threshold for the highly contagious disease.