Measles Cases Surge Nationally as Vaccination Rates Decline
With 1,983 cases already reported this year, the U.S. faces its worst measles surge since the 1990s as vaccine hesitancy spreads nationwide.
RALEIGH, NORTH CAROLINA — The United States is experiencing a surge in measles cases as vaccine hesitancy spreads, with 1,983 confirmed cases reported nationally this year compared to 2,288 cases for all of 2025, according to data released Friday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The 2026 outbreak is on track to surpass last year’s total, which marked the worst measles year since 1991. Twelve states and the District of Columbia have already exceeded their entire 2025 case counts by the halfway point of this year.
South Carolina Records Largest Outbreak in Decades
South Carolina leads the nation with 669 measles cases this year, more than double its 2025 total. The state declared an end in April to what officials called the nation’s largest outbreak in 35 years, centered in Spartanburg County in the northwestern part of the state where religious exemptions to vaccination have spiked.
Other states showing dramatic increases include Florida, which has recorded 139 cases compared to eight in 2025, and Virginia, which already has 63 cases versus six for all of last year. Utah has documented 484 cases this year, also more than doubling its 2025 numbers.
Utah Outbreak Linked to Low Vaccination Area
The Utah outbreak began in the Short Creek area along the Utah-Arizona border, where vaccination rates remain low, according to Dr. Andrew Pavia, a pediatrician and professor at the University of Utah. Speaking at a May 26 briefing for the Infectious Diseases Society of America, Pavia said the outbreak is now slowing.
Dozens of measles patients across the affected states have required hospitalization due to serious complications including brain inflammation, highlighting the severity of the disease when vaccination coverage drops.
Whooping Cough Cases Also Rising
The measles surge coincides with increasing reports of whooping cough cases nationwide, as vaccine hesitancy fueled by misinformation affects multiple childhood immunizations. Health officials warn that declining vaccination rates create conditions for previously controlled diseases to resurge.
The CDC data underscores growing concerns among public health experts about the erosion of community immunity that has protected the United States from these preventable diseases for decades. Measles is highly contagious and can cause serious complications, particularly in young children and adults.
Meanwhile, COVID-19 hotspots persist in some states, and health officials are monitoring a new Ebola outbreak in central Africa for potential international spread, adding to current infectious disease challenges facing public health systems.
