Measles Cases Surge 1% in U.S. as Vaccination Rates Fall

The U.S. is experiencing its most severe measles outbreak in over three decades, with the year only halfway through. The national case count has reached 1,288, surpassing the previous high of 1,274 cases recorded in 2019. This resurgence raises concerns about the potential loss of the U.S.'s measles elimination status, which was achieved in 2000. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) continues to recommend the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine as the best protection against measles and is supporting community efforts to control ongoing outbreaks.

Fourteen states are currently dealing with active outbreaks, with the largest one starting five months ago in undervaccinated communities in West Texas. Three fatalities have been reported—two children in Texas and one adult in New Mexico—and dozens of people have been hospitalized across the country. However, there are signs that transmission is slowing, particularly in Texas, where Lubbock County has not seen a new case in 50 days.

Despite the widespread availability of a highly effective vaccine, measles cases are breaking records. The MMR vaccine is safe and 97% effective at preventing measles after two doses. Public health officials and primary care providers express frustration over the vaccine hesitancy that has contributed to the outbreak. A recent study found that childhood vaccination rates against measles fell after the COVID-19 pandemic in nearly 80% of U.S. counties with available data. Additionally, CDC data showed that only 92.7% of kindergarteners in the U.S. had the MMR vaccine in the 2023-2024 school year, below the 95% needed to prevent outbreaks.

State and federal leaders have maintained stagnant funding for local public health departments' vaccination programs, which are tasked with reversing the trend. Public health leaders nationwide are discussing how to prepare for outbreaks, but there is a clear need for more investment. The current measles outbreak serves as a warning sign of broader issues with vaccination attitudes in the country, which are likely to worsen without intervention.

North America is also dealing with major measles outbreaks in other regions, including 2,966 cases in Chihuahua state, 2,223 cases in Ontario, and 1,246 in Alberta. These outbreaks are primarily concentrated in large Mennonite communities, which historically have low vaccination rates and a distrust of government. In 2019, the CDC identified 22 outbreaks, with the largest in two separate clusters in New York—412 in New York state and 702 in New York City. These outbreaks were linked due to the spread of measles through unvaccinated communities.