US measles cases pass 2,000 for a second straight year, putting elimination status at risk
Confirmed US measles cases have passed 2,000 for the second year in a row, with more than 2,070 reported by mid-June 2026. The CDC says about 93% are tied to active outbreaks and warns summer travel could spread the virus further. Officials say the country's measles elimination status, held since 2000, is now at risk.
Confirmed US measles cases have passed 2,000 for the second consecutive year, with more than 2,070 reported by mid-June 2026. According to the CDC, about 93% of this year's cases are linked to active outbreaks rather than isolated infections, and the agency has warned state and local health departments that summer travel could carry the virus into new communities. Measles was declared eliminated in the United States in 2000, and two straight years above 2,000 cases now threaten that status. Public health officials point to falling childhood vaccination rates as a major factor and say keeping coverage high is the main way to slow the spread heading into the new school year. Sources: CDC, CIDRAP, US News, ABC News, The Hill.