U.S. loses measles-free status after continued spread of the disease: report

The Pan American Health Organization has stripped the United States of its measles-elimination status after 26 years, according to a report by the Wall Street Journal on November 13, 2026. The revocation comes after the U.S. failed to end continuous transmission of the highly contagious virus for more than a year, a requirement for elimination status. The organization did not immediately comment on the matter when contacted by Reuters.

The decision follows a surge in measles cases, with 7,500 people in the U.S. infected and 13 fatalities since 2025. This period aligns with declining immunization rates and rising vaccine hesitancy under Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has repeatedly questioned the safety of measles vaccines despite a lack of scientific evidence.

The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) conducted an evaluation, examining epidemiological and laboratory data to determine if the same strain of measles had been circulating in the U.S. uninterrupted for 12 months or longer, indicating local transmission rather than imported cases. As of November 12, 2026, the CDC reported 5,182 confirmed measles cases in 2026 from 45 states, New York City, and the District of Columbia, surpassing last year's total of 2,289 and marking one of the worst measles resurgences in decades.

For a country to achieve measles elimination, 95% of its population must be vaccinated, creating herd immunity that protects those unable to receive the vaccine. Two doses of the measles vaccine provide 97% protection against the virus, which can lead to blindness, deafness, brain damage, or death.