{
  "id": 20122563,
  "title": "U.S. loses measles-free status after continued spread of the disease: report",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/15/u-s-loses-measles-free-status-after-continued-spread-of-the-disease-20122563",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-11-15T05:43:52.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Hindu - Sci-Tech",
    "slug": "the-hindu-sci-tech",
    "url": "https://www.thehindu.com/news/international/us-loses-measles-free-status-after-continued-spread-of-the-disease-report/article71700760.ece"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "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.\n\nThe 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.",
  "summary": "The Pan American Health Organization (Paho) has revoked the United States' measles-elimination status after 26 years, according to a report by the Wall Street Journal. The decision follows the country's failure to halt the continuous transmission of the virus for more than one year. Paho's evaluation involved reviewing epidemiological and laboratory evidence to determine if the same strain had been circulating uninterrupted for at least 12 months, which indicates local transmission.\n\nThe United States is currently facing its highest number of measles cases in over three decades. Since 2025, approximately 7,500 people have been infected and 13 have died. As of Thursday, the US Centers for Disease Control had reported 5,182 confirmed cases in 2026. Free Malaysia Today reports that this period has coincided with rising vaccine hesitancy and falling immunization rates under US Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 5,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Free Malaysia Today",
        "title": "US loses measles-free status amid continued spread",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/14/us-loses-measles-free-status-amid-continued-spread",
        "published": "2026-11-14T01:21:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Channel News Asia",
        "title": "US loses measles-free status after continued spread of the disease: Report",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/14/us-loses-measles-free-status-after-continued-spread-of-the-disease",
        "published": "2026-11-14T04:21:12.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The Korea Times",
        "title": "US loses measles-free status after continued spread of the disease, WSJ reports",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/14/us-loses-measles-free-status-after-continued-spread-of-the-disease-19972877",
        "published": "2026-11-14T11:47:03.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Slashdot",
        "title": "America Officially Loses Its Measles-elimination Status After Continued Spread of the Disease",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/14/america-officially-loses-its-measles-elimination-status-after",
        "published": "2026-11-14T23:37:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}