The United States has recorded 5,182 confirmed measles cases so far in 2026, the highest annual figure in 35 years, according to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, CDC.

The figure is more than double the 2,289 cases recorded throughout 2025, with at least eight deaths reported.

Measles was declared eliminated in the country in 2000 following successful vaccination campaigns. However, infections have risen in recent years amid declining vaccination rates and growing public distrust of health authorities.