Measles was eliminated in the U.S.; now it’s on the rise again

Photo courtesy of DocWertheim/Wikimedia Commons

Measles is making a return to the United States with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirming 733 cases in 2026 as of Feb. 5. This is a jarring number when compared to the total number of confirmed cases in 2025, which was reported to be 2,276. 

The CDC classifies measles as a highly contagious disease that “can cause serious health complications, especially in children younger than 5 years old.” According to the CDC, the Measles, Mumps, and Rubella (MMR) vaccine is 97 percent effective for measles after the recommended two doses. It is because of a decline in vaccination rates that the rise in measles cases is so prominent.

Prior to the MMR vaccine being readily available in the United States, the CDC estimates that “nearly all children got measles by the time they were 15 years old.” Since 2000, however, with most children receiving the MMR vaccine as recommended, cases of measles have averaged at about 180 cases per year, with drastic spikes in the past couple of years, as per ABC News.

According to ABC News, “U.S. vaccination rates have dropped and the share of children with exemptions has reached an all-time high.” This drop in vaccination rates has led to a higher population of people susceptible to contagious diseases that had been nearly eliminated in the United States. Although AP News has cited that 3.6 percent of students were vaccine exempt in the 2024-2025 school year, this number has been rising since pre-COVID-19, making it a big concern. 

NPR has cited the recent outbreak to be the U.S. 's “biggest measles outbreak in decades,” which for a disease that was declared eliminated in 2000 is a worrying statistic. Although the majority of outbreaks are occurring in “pockets of under-vaccinated or unvaccinated communities,” according to ABC News, there has also been a recent outbreak of measles in Washington D.C., which may have been spread “at this year's National March for Life rally and concert in Washington, D.C.,” per a report by NPR. 

NPR’s article cites the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), which “has said it plans to review the United States' measles elimination status this spring.” This review could lead to the U.S. losing its measles elimination status. 

Unfortunately, those with suppressed immune systems and those allergic to the MMR vaccine are extremely susceptible to getting measles if exposed to it, making them especially vulnerable at a time where measles cases are the highest they have been since 2000. Dr. Mehmet Oz, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services administrator, has advocated for people to get the measles vaccine, saying in a quote from ABC News, “measles is one you should get your vaccine.”

This recent uptick in cases in the United States raises questions about information being spread about vaccinations and the increased distrust people have in the science and medical communities. It has become increasingly important to review the facts and science for oneself, especially with a rise in conflicting information on, and attitudes towards vaccines, as this recent outbreak has proven.