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 two decades, according to a report by the Wall Street Journal on November 13, 2026. The international health body cited the country's failure to halt continuous measles transmission for more than a year, a requirement for elimination.

Reuters was not granted immediate comment from the PAHO on the matter. The U.S. is grappling with the highest number of measles cases in over three decades, with 7,500 people infected and 13 deaths since 2025. This trend aligns with declining immunization rates and increasing vaccine hesitancy, largely driven by former U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has repeatedly questioned the safety of measles vaccines without scientific evidence.

The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) conducted a thorough evaluation, examining epidemiological and laboratory evidence to ascertain if the same strain of measles had been circulating in the U.S. uninterrupted for 12 months or more. This indicates 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.

This surge makes it one of the worst measles resurgences in decades for the U.S. The country achieved measles elimination in 2000, a status determined when 95% of the population is vaccinated, creating herd immunity that protects vulnerable individuals. Two doses of the measles vaccine provide 97% protection against the virus, which can lead to severe complications such as blindness, deafness, brain damage, or death.