Measles infections in the U.S. this year are on pace to easily eclipse 2025, when the country reported the most annual cases in over three decades.
U.S. News is tracking the outbreak, which includes more than 1,480 cases and 14 new outbreaks.
Over 30 jurisdictions have reported measles infections to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention this year. They are Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Kentucky, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico, New York City, New York state, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin.
The outbreak in South Carolina is responsible for the vast majority of this year’s total with more than 600 cases. An outbreak in Utah that started last summer is also ongoing, with 275 infections reported so far this year.
The various outbreaks put the country at risk of losing its measles elimination status this year. Measles has been considered eliminated in the U.S. since 2000, meaning that the virus was no longer spreading continuously for more than one year within the country. Authorities will examine the U.S. measles status in November.
The surge in measles is mostly due to a decline in vaccination rates and an increase in vaccination exemptions. Vaccination coverage of the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) shot in children has declined in recent years, dropping from 95.2% during the 2019-2020 school year to 92.5% during the 2024-2025 school year.
The MMR vaccine is the best protection against measles, and it is considered highly effective and long-lasting, according to the CDC. About 92% of cases so far this year were in people who were unvaccinated or whose vaccination status was unknown.
Recognizing Measles
Symptoms typically start one to two weeks after exposure and can include:
- High fever
- Cough
- Runny nose
- Red eyes
- Distinctive rash
While most people recover from measles without issue, young children and people with weakened immune systems are particularly vulnerable to severe complications like hospitalization, pneumonia, brain swelling and death.
Vaccination plays a large role in the outbreak. Just a 1% decrease in the childhood MMR vaccination rate could cause 17,000 measles cases, 4,000 hospitalizations and 36 preventable deaths each year, according to a report from the Common Health Coalition.
“Vaccination is one of the most powerful investments we can make for the health of our children, but when we fail to maintain high vaccination rates, we all pay the price,” Dr. Dave Chokshi, chair of the Common Health Coalition, said in a statement.
Measles is a highly contagious virus. According to the CDC, if one person has measles, up to nine out of 10 people nearby will become infected if they are not protected.