US measles cases exceed 2,000 in 2026, second year

The United States has recorded more than 2,000 measles cases so far in 2026, marking the second consecutive year the country has surpassed that threshold and signaling a persistent resurgence of the highly contagious virus. Federal data released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention showed 2,030 confirmed infections across 39 states and Washington, D.C., as of last week. The total is rapidly approaching the 2025 full-year record of 2,288, which was the highest annual case count since 1991.

The vast majority of patients, over 92 percent, were unvaccinated or had an unknown vaccination status, according to the CDC. More than six percent of the confirmed patients have required hospitalization. Public health officials have consistently pointed to gaps in vaccination coverage as the primary driver of the ongoing outbreaks. A Vanderbilt University professor of preventive medicine described the trend of parents postponing or withholding vaccines as very concerning, stating it permits the virus to continue to spread.

Significant outbreaks have been reported in several states. Utah has recorded 675 cases since last summer, constituting its largest outbreak in 40 years, though...