The Independent
CNN
The New York Times
US measles cases reach highest level in 35 years, CDC data shows
Dr. Omer Awan is a practicing physician who covers public health.
The United States has now recorded more cases of measles in 2026 than in any other year since the virus was declared eliminated in 2000, a grim sign that the country may be headed toward a new era in which the disease regularly sickens thousands every year.
This figure has officially surpassed the 2025 numbers, which totaled 2,286 measles cases nationwide.
The United States has recorded 2,318 cases of measles since the beginning of 2026, surpassing the record-breaking tally from 2025 with five months of the year remaining.
