Overview
- The CDC reported Friday that 2,318 confirmed measles cases had been logged as of Thursday, July 23, 2026, which exceeds last year’s total and marks the highest U.S. tally since 1991.
- Federal data show about 93% of infected people were unvaccinated and public reports list at least 151 hospitalizations in 2026 with no deaths recorded in official counts for this year.
- Large, linked outbreaks have driven the surge, with South Carolina’s roughly 997-case outbreak declared over in April and an ongoing Utah–Arizona cluster with more than 700 reported infections.
- National kindergarten MMR coverage fell from about 95.2% in 2019–20 to 92.5% in 2024–25, creating local immunity gaps that let measles spread because roughly 95% coverage is needed to prevent sustained transmission.
- Local health departments are stretched by intensive contact tracing and isolation work, experts say official counts understate the true scale of transmission, and a November PAHO review could strip the U.S. of its elimination designation.