The United States has recorded 2,566 confirmed measles cases so far in 2026, marking the country's highest annual total in more than 35 years, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The figure represents the most significant resurgence since the 1989-1991 period, when more than 55,000 infections and 123 deaths were reported.
According to the report, 169 people have been hospitalised with measles-related illness this year, although no deaths have been recorded.
The CDC said 93 percent of the cases involved people who were unvaccinated or whose vaccination status was unknown, while the remainder occurred among people who had received one or two doses of the vaccine.
Cases have been reported in 45 states, New York City and the District of Columbia, with 38 outbreaks identified so far in 2026.
The resurgence has coincided with a continued decline in childhood MMR vaccination rates since the COVID-19 pandemic. Health officials and public health experts have warned that reduced immunisation coverage has increased the risk of measles spreading through communities, given the disease's high level of contagiousness.
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— Reuters (@Reuters) August 14, 2026
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