Wednesday, December 15, 2021
US measles cases reached 5,182 as of Nov 5, the most since 1991, as a PAHO panel meets Nov 10 to 13 to decide whether the US keeps its elimination status.
The United States has recorded 5,182 confirmed measles cases so far in 2026, according to CDC data as of November 5. That is the highest yearly count since 1991 and more than double the 2,289 cases reported in all of 2025. Cases have been reported in 47 jurisdictions, and 330 were added in the latest week alone. The number is expected to keep climbing.
This week the question moves beyond the case count. A regional commission of the Pan American Health Organization, known as PAHO, is meeting November 10 to 13 to review whether measles has spread in the US without a break for 12 months or more. The review looks for the same virus lineage circulating continuously since January 20, 2025. If the commission finds that it has, the US would lose the measles elimination status it has held since 2000. Canada lost the same status in November 2025. CDC Director Erica Schwartz said she expects a decision by early next week. She said the agency's response would not change either way. "We're going to be doing the same thing that we've been doing today," Schwartz said, Medical Daily reported.
The outbreaks remain concentrated. Pennsylvania's health department reports 1,487 cases across 45 counties as of November 6, the most of any state. Wisconsin is second with 431 cases as of November 3. About 96 percent of this year's cases are linked to outbreaks, 43 of which began in 2026. The CDC lists four measles deaths this year and notes that figure may change. State health departments have reported more, so the true count is not yet settled. Nearly all patients were unvaccinated or had an unknown vaccination status.
A loss of elimination status would not change the virus itself or the vaccine that stops it. It would confirm that measles has a foothold here again, which is the pattern the measles cases by year show playing out over decades. Kindergarten MMR coverage has slipped from 95.2 percent in 2019 to 2020 to 92.4 percent in 2025 to 2026, the CDC says.
Start by confirming two documented MMR doses for everyone in your household. Two doses are about 97 percent effective. The first routine dose comes at 12 to 15 months, so a baby under a year depends on the people around them. Parents of a newborn can learn the infant measles symptoms and the steps that shield a child too young for the shot. If an adult's records are missing, a doctor or pharmacist can check them or give a dose. An infectious disease outbreak plan covers the rest, from exposure notices at school to quarantine care at home if someone gets sick.
As of Thursday morning, PAHO has not announced a finding, and the CDC's next weekly update is expected to raise the count again. The 2026 measles outbreak is moving county by county, so check your local health department's numbers before holiday travel. Be Prepared Not Scared!
