US Suffering Worst Measles Outbreak in 35 Years
The outbreak has led to three deaths as experts blame rising vaccine hesitancy and say cases are likely to keep increasing.
- On Friday, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 2,318 measles cases nationwide, marking the worst outbreak in 35 years and surpassing 2025's total of 2,289 cases.
- Declining vaccination rates and growing distrust in health authorities fuel the surge, with critics blaming US Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for spreading anti-vaccine sentiment.
- USF Health virologist Dr. Michael Teng noted an infected person can transmit measles to between 12 and 18 people, while pediatric infectious diseases physician Dr. Evan Shirey said vaccination prevents children from hospitalization with severe complications.
- Florida ranks fifth nationally with 141 cases, where officials allow religious and philosophical vaccine exemptions; Florida Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo said Friday people should make personal medical decisions without coercion.
- Public health experts warn nationwide vaccination rates have fallen below the 95% threshold required to prevent community spread, and with the outbreak uncontained, officials expect case numbers to continue rising.
40 Articles
40 Articles
US measles outbreak is worst in 35 years as cases surge past 2,300, official data shows
WASHINGTON, July 25 — The United States is in the midst of its worst measles outbreak in 35 years, according to official figures released yesterday, amid a serious uptick in cases as vaccine hesitancy grows.Since 2026 began, 2,318 confirmed cases of the highly contagious illness have been recorded, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.That surpasses the total for 2025, a year that had already shattered records, with 2,289 …
This Week in Science: A Grim Measles Milestone, a Lifespan Limit, And More
This Week in Science: A galactic flip, 'programmable heat', and much more! First up: Measles cases in the US have just passed a 'grim milestone': 2026 has already beaten 2025's total, reaching the highest numbers in 35 years.
The United States has reported 2,318 confirmed cases of measles this year, the most in 35 years, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said. There were 2,289 confirmed cases in the first 12 months of last year, and two unvaccinated children have died.
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