Measles Cases Surge Globally in 2026 on Low Vaccination Rates

Measles cases have surged worldwide in 2026, with more than 1,700 confirmed infections reported across 30 U.S. states in the first few months, alongside hundreds in the United Kingdom and outbreaks in Japan and Bangladesh, health officials said. The resurgence, driven primarily by declining childhood vaccination rates below the 95 percent threshold needed for herd immunity, has prompted warnings from global health experts about the risk of losing hard-won elimination status in multiple countries.

In the United States, where measles was declared eliminated in 2000, authorities recorded 1,575 confirmed cases in 31 states by early April, surpassing half of 2025's record 2,285 total. Outbreaks centered in Arizona, Utah and South Carolina accounted for nearly half, with Utah alone reporting 602 cases. Over 90 percent of U.S. patients were unvaccinated or had unknown status, and children under 19 made up three-quarters of cases. Officials linked the rise to gaps exposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, including disrupted routines and misinformation eroding vaccine confidence.

The United Kingdom confirmed 442 lab-tested cases this year, concentrated in London boroughs like Enfield, where...