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The number of people across the country who have gotten sick with measles is undoubtedly much higher because many don’t get tested, experts say. The new milestone, the highest number of confirmed cases since 1991, is yet another indication that the highly contagious virus is taking over, particularly in areas with plummeting vaccination rates. Outbreaks are driving up healthcare costs and have led to hundreds of hospitalizations, including children and pregnant women.
“Measles is acting like it’s endemic now. There’s a lot of domestic transmission,” said Dr. Demetre Daskalakis, who directed the CDC’s National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases before resigning last year.
“If I were a betting person, I would expect 5,000-plus cases this year.” The ongoing outbreaks threaten the country’s measles elimination status from 2000. Nearly everyone who contracted measles caught it from a family member, neighbor, or another person within U.S. borders; only 16 cases were among visitors from other countries. Global health officials are monitoring the U.S. situation closely.
In November, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) will decide whether the U.S. has lost measles elimination status based on whether a single transmission chain lasted over 12 months and if there are significant unknown case sources. Noel Brewer, chair of an independent committee assisting the CDC, noted that the U.S. has had measles cases weekly for the past 20 months, with at least one regional outbreak exceeding 12 months. “There’s no end in sight,” Brewer said.
Daskalakis likened losing measles elimination status to uncontrolled blood pressure—a warning sign of future health issues. “Measles elimination isn’t just about transmission; it’s about having a responsive public health system, adequate surveillance, and vaccine coverage,” he said. Dr.
William Moss, a Johns Hopkins professor, called it a loss of faith in the country’s ability to control outbreaks. Reclaiming elimination would require stopping virus transmission and undergoing reverification. In 2025, three measles-related deaths were reported in Pennsylvania, Texas, and New Mexico.
After a public dispute between Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the CDC hasn’t officially acknowledged the 2026 deaths.
Kennedy’s X post stated the agency would update reporting as more information became available.
Source: NBC News
