The United States has confirmed 2,371 measles cases in 2026, the highest annual total since 1991, according to the latest Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data highlighted in new reporting on August 3. The count, current through July 30, has already exceeded the 2,289 cases recorded during all of 2025 and shows that a resurgence of the highly contagious disease is continuing across the country.
The CDC said 2,355 infections involved residents of 45 jurisdictions and 16 involved international visitors. Health departments have reported 37 outbreaks this year, defined by the agency as clusters of at least three related cases. Ninety-four percent of confirmed infections, or 2,219 cases, were linked to outbreaks, including transmission chains that began in both 2025 and 2026.
The increase follows the erosion of a major public-health achievement. The United States declared measles eliminated in 2000 after sustained domestic transmission ended, but imported infections can still ignite outbreaks where immunization is low. The CDC said national coverage with the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine among kindergartners fell from 95.2% in the 2019-2020 school year to 92.5% in 2024-2025, leaving about 286,000 kindergartners at risk.
Measles spreads through the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes and can remain a threat to people entering the same room. Summer travel and close contact in settings such as camps create opportunities for infected travelers to reach communities with immunity gaps. The CDC cautions that state totals may run ahead of its national count because jurisdictions report on different schedules and federal figures include only confirmed cases submitted by health departments.
Vaccination remains the main preventive measure. CDC estimates show that one MMR dose is 93% effective against measles and two doses are 97% effective. Community coverage above 95% offers the strongest protection against sustained spread, while local pockets of lower coverage can permit large outbreaks even when a state or national average appears relatively high.
Public-health agencies are expected to keep tracing contacts, confirming suspected infections and directing vaccination efforts toward exposed or under-immunized communities. The CDC updates its national surveillance figures weekly and advises people who are uncertain about their vaccination history, particularly those planning travel, to consult a health-care provider. Because the 2026 figures remain preliminary, the national total and number of linked outbreaks may rise as states complete investigations.
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