US Measles Cases May Hit 6,500 in 2026 Amid Vaccine Skepticism: Experts
With 4,080 cases and counting, the United States has more measles cases this year than at any time since 1991.
The United States could see up to 6,500 confirmed measles cases in 2026, according to infectious disease experts, as vaccine skepticism leads to outbreaks in under-vaccinated communities and threatens the country's measles-elimination status. As of October 8, there were 4,080 confirmed cases this year, a 78 percent increase from 2025's 2,289 cases.
Measles was declared eradicated in the U.S. in 2000, but the highly contagious virus continues to spread, with Pennsylvania reporting the most cases so far, including five measles-associated deaths and 1,222 confirmed cases across 42 counties.
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