US loses measles-free status after continued spread of the disease, WSJ reports

The Pan American Health Organization has stripped the United States of its measles-elimination status, marking the end of a 26-year streak, according to the Wall Street Journal. This decision was made after the health organization determined that the US failed to stop the continuous spread of the highly contagious virus for over a year. Reuters reported on this development, though the PAHO did not immediately comment on the matter.

The US is currently grappling with the highest number of measles cases in over three decades. During this period, 7,500 people have been infected with measles, resulting in 13 deaths. This alarming trend aligns with a decline in immunization rates and increasing vaccine hesitancy under Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. For years, Kennedy has been spreading doubts about the safety of measles vaccines without any scientific evidence to support his claims.

In its evaluation, the PAHO reviewed epidemiological and laboratory evidence submitted by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The organization assessed whether the US had managed to eliminate the disease based on this data.