The U.S. has recorded 2,318 measles cases in the first seven months of 2026, surpassing last year’s total and marking the highest count in 35 years, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported Friday. The surge, driven by declining childhood vaccination rates, has triggered outbreaks in at least seven states, with health officials warning of a growing public health crisis.

Vaccination Gaps Fuel Nationwide Spread

The CDC found that 93% of infected individuals were unvaccinated, underscoring the role of immunization gaps in the resurgence. Measles, one of the most contagious viruses, often serves as an early warning sign of broader vulnerabilities in vaccine coverage. “We have joined the rank of countries where vaccination is not reaching the levels needed to protect all of our children,” said Dr. Richard Besser, president of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

Herd immunity against measles requires 95% vaccination rates, but 2025 CDC data showed only 92.5% of children received the vaccine. “We’re starting to pay the price for the decreased vaccination rates that we’re seeing in some communities,” said Dr. Adam Ratner, a pediatrician and member of the American Academy of Pediatrics Committee on Infectious Diseases.

Outbreaks Strain Local Health Systems

Major outbreaks have overwhelmed hospitals and health departments, particularly in Texas, South Carolina, and Utah. In West Texas, a single outbreak grew to 762 cases and resulted in the first measles deaths in the U.S. in over a decade—two young girls. Dr. Stuart Simko, a pediatrician in South Carolina, described the virus’s rapid spread as “more efficient than Covid ever could be,” with children presenting severe symptoms like 105-degree fevers and dehydration.

  • Texas: 762 cases, including two deaths
  • South Carolina: 997 cases in the Upstate region
  • Utah: 700+ cases, with 514 reported in 2026
  • Pennsylvania: 132 cases, 61% in adults

Health officials in Virginia and Pennsylvania have resorted to door-to-door outreach to encourage vaccinations. “We go into homes, we listen to their needs, we educate, and we continue to monitor those families,” said Dr. Maria Almond, health director for Virginia’s Piedmont Health District. Despite these efforts, new cases continue to emerge in Arizona, Delaware, and Wyoming.

Federal Response and Future Risks

The CDC has deployed staff to assist with outbreaks, but critics argue the federal response has been inadequate. The agency has operated without a permanent director for most of President Donald Trump’s second term, while Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a vaccine skeptic, has distanced himself from the crisis. “Last year and this year would not be as bad if we had strong, well-funded local public health departments,” Ratner said.

The Pan American Health Organization is expected to decide in November whether the U.S. will lose its measles elimination status, granted in 2000. With cases accelerating, health experts warn the window to contain the virus is closing.