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August 12, 2026 / 2:57 PM EDT
/ CBS News
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So far in 2026, the U.S. has recorded the most measles cases in more than three decades as outbreaks spread in multiple states, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data shows. By mid-July, the number had already surpassed all of 2025, which had been the worst year in recent history with more than 2,200 confirmed cases. Ongoing outbreaks have put the U.S. at risk of losing its official measles elimination status, which it has held since 2000. Measles is one of the most contagious infectious diseases. In some cases, it can cause severe infections in the lungs and brain that can lead to cognitive issues, deafness or death. But it can be prevented by vaccination, which medical research has proven to be safe and highly effective.The CBS News data team has tracked confirmed measles cases nationwide as new data is released by state health departments and the CDC. Out of the 2,289 confirmed cases last year, more than 750 were connected to an outbreak in West Texas that led to the deaths of two children. Prior to 2025, the highest number of confirmed cases in the U.S. in recent years was 1,274 in 2019, driven by outbreaks in New York, California and Washington state. Most years the total was much lower. Health experts point to lower vaccination rates as the main reason for increases in preventable infectious diseases like measles. The vast majority of cases have been in people who were unvaccinated, and outbreaks have spread in communities with lower vaccination rates.CDC data shows about 93% of kindergartners in the U.S. were vaccinated against measles during the 2021-2022 school year and only 92.7% in the 2023-2024 school year. This is down from 95.2% during the 2019-2020 school year — a critical threshold to keep people safe. Only 10 states hit that threshold.
