At a glance
The U.S. has already surpassed last year's record for measles cases in 2026, marking the highest count in 35 years. Public health officials attribute the surge to declining vaccination coverage.
The U.S. has already exceeded last year's total measles cases in 2026, marking the highest count in 35 years. Public health officials attribute the surge to declining vaccination coverage. This is a trajectory problem: cases are accelerating faster than in previous years.
Measles is a highly contagious virus that spreads through the air. When vaccination rates drop below certain thresholds, the virus has room to spread. A 35-year record means this is the worst outbreak since the early 1990s, when measles was still endemic in the U.S. The fact that we're setting records partway through the year suggests the trajectory will get worse before it stabilizes. This is one of those situations where the problem becomes harder to fix the longer it goes unaddressed.
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