US reports over 5,000 measles cases, the highest in 35 years

The United States has reported 5,182 confirmed measles cases in 2026, the highest annual total in 35 years. The surge signals a major resurgence of a disease declared eliminated from continuous US transmission in 2000, and raises concern about its spread as vaccination coverage falls.

The count, recorded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as of 5 November, is more than double the 2,289 cases reported in 2025. Vaccination coverage among US kindergarten pupils fell from 95.2% in the 2019–20 school year to 92.4% in 2025–26; recent reports also include measles-related child deaths in New York and Wisconsin.