US measles cases surpass 3,000 as vaccination coverage declines

The United States has recorded 3,134 confirmed measles cases in 2026, surpassing the previous annual high of 2,289 cases in 1991, according to data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). This alarming figure marks the highest number of measles cases reported in the country since the 1990s. The CDC attributes the surge to declining childhood vaccination coverage, with only 92.4% of US kindergartners receiving the recommended two doses of the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine in the 2025-2026 school year. This is a drop from 95.2% in the previous school year.

Of the 3,134 confirmed cases, 3,118 were identified in 47 US jurisdictions, while the remaining 16 cases involved international visitors. The CDC reports that 248 people have been hospitalized due to measles, accounting for about 8% of the confirmed cases. Additionally, 38 measles outbreaks have been reported so far this year.

The agency emphasizes that measles vaccination coverage among US kindergartners has fallen to 92.4%, with about 280,000 kindergartners lacking documentation of completing the MMR vaccine series. The CDC recommends two doses of the MMR vaccine as the best protection against measles and notes that when more than 95% of people in a community are vaccinated, most individuals are protected through community immunity.