Us surpasses 2,300 measles cases, worst year since 1991, warns of 'new normal'

As the country grapples with multiple public health threats, the US has officially surpassed last year's record number of measles infections, marking the highest case count since the disease was declared eliminated in 2000.

Large outbreaks in south carolina, utah, arizona and several other states have infected hundreds of people

New figures from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released Friday show the country has recorded 2,318 measles cases in 2026, overtaking the 2,289 cases reported during all of 2025 – with five months still remaining in the year.

The country crossed the 2,000-case threshold last month before climbing even higher in July, making 2026 the worst year for measles in the US since 1991.

International health officials are scheduled to meet in November to decide whether the US and Mexico should lose their measles-free status, potentially signaling a return to the pre-elimination era when thousands of people could contract the highly contagious and potentially deadly disease annually.

Experts warn that reversing the current trend would require a nationwide effort to increase vaccination rates, but such an undertaking appears unlikely under US Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr, who has a history of downplaying the importance of immunizations and grossly overstating their risks.

The American Academy of Pediatrics sharply criticized the new record, describing it as