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US Measles Outbreak the Worst in 35 Years, Says Official Data
🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia /Health & Science

US Measles Outbreak the Worst in 35 Years, Says Official Data

From Asharq Al-Awsat · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Ongoing story
  • The U.S. is experiencing its worst measles outbreak in 35 years, with over 2,300 cases recorded since the start of 2026.
  • This surge surpasses the 2025 total and is linked to declining vaccination rates and growing distrust in health authorities.
  • Experts warn of an "avoidable crisis" disproportionately affecting children, with concerns about underdiagnosis and the spread of anti-vaccine sentiment.

The United States is grappling with its most severe measles outbreak in 35 years, as official figures reveal a sharp increase in cases driven by declining vaccination rates and rising vaccine hesitancy. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 2,318 confirmed cases since the beginning of 2026, a number that already exceeds the 2,289 cases recorded in 2025, a year that also set records.

We are witnessing an avoidable crisis that disproportionally hurts children. We should not accept this as our new normal.

— Andrew RacinePresident of the American Academy of Pediatrics, commenting on the measles outbreak.

Health officials are calling this an "avoidable crisis that disproportionally hurts children." Measles, a highly contagious illness that can cause fever, respiratory symptoms, and skin rashes, can lead to severe complications like pneumonia and brain inflammation, potentially resulting in long-term effects or death. The disease was declared eradicated in the U.S. in 2000 due to widespread vaccination efforts.

I definitely believe that there is underdiagnosis.

— Melissa NolanProfessor of epidemiology at the University of South Carolina, discussing the measles outbreak.

Experts point to a resurgence of measles against a backdrop of distrust in health authorities and a decline in vaccination rates. Concerns have been raised about the influence of public figures, including former Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who are accused of spreading anti-vaccine sentiment. The current outbreak shows no signs of containment, with experts anticipating further increases in cases.

When you think about the people who are choosing not to vaccinate their children, these are also the people that have medical hesitancy in general.

— Melissa NolanProfessor of epidemiology at the University of South Carolina, explaining trends in vaccine hesitancy.

Melissa Nolan, a professor of epidemiology at the University of South Carolina, which has the highest number of infections, believes there is significant underdiagnosis. She noted that individuals hesitant about vaccines often exhibit general medical hesitancy. While measles vaccination is mandatory in the U.S., non-medical exemptions based on religious or philosophical reasons have surged, particularly since the COVID-19 pandemic, coinciding with an explosion of vaccine misinformation.

there is a plethora of places that you can go, and a lot of different social media feeds that will walk you through how to do the exemption.

— Melissa NolanProfessor of epidemiology at the University of South Carolina, describing how parents can obtain non-medical vaccine exemptions.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Asharq Al-Awsat. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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