US measles cases reach new record, shattering 35-year high for second year in a row

Measles cases in the United States have continued to climb, reaching a new record high for the second year in a row. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has reported that the country has seen more cases this year than in any other year since 1991, surpassing a previous record set just last year. With more than half of the year already gone, it's clear that the measles outbreak is far from over, and public health officials are sounding the alarm about the need for increased vaccination efforts.

The CDC has reported that the number of measles cases in the US has been steadily increasing over the past few years, with 2026 being the worst year in more than three decades. Last year, the country saw a record-breaking 2,300 measles cases, and this year is already on track to surpass that number. The majority of cases have been linked to large outbreaks in areas with low vaccination rates, including the largest outbreak in decades in Spartanburg County, South Carolina.

At the center of the outbreak was the Rev. Scott Neely's Unitarian Universalist Church of Spartanburg, which held its annual Christmas brunch in December 2025. Someone with measles attended the event, potentially exposing dozens of people who were there. Contact tracing work showed that the individual had attended the church's Christmas brunch, and the state health department reached out to the church to investigate. The experience was a 'remarkable microcosm' lesson on the importance of vaccination, Neely said.

Vaccination rates are a key factor in the spread of measles, and experts say that the potential for outbreaks remains anywhere vaccination rates remain below 95%. In areas with high overall coverage, like Virginia, vaccination rates may mask pockets where rates are low. The local health department has been working with the community to identify key ways to slow the spread and protect vulnerable residents.

Dr. Andrew Racine, president of the American Academy of Pediatrics, has described the measles outbreak as a 'public health failure' that is 'avoidable'. Most measles cases are among children, and nearly all of them are unvaccinated. The work needed to respond to even one measles case can last for weeks or months, public health experts say.

San Francisco public health officials have been conducting contact tracing interviews after exposures from just two cases in April, according to Dr. Farrell Tobolowsky, medical director of the San Francisco Department of Public Health's communicable disease program. 'I don't think our department can currently handle more than one (case) without calling in additional staff,' Tobolowsky said. The burden on public health has become even greater amid changes made due to recent cuts to funding.

Meredith Robinson, vaccine-preventable diseases coordinator for the Virginia Department of Health, has described measles outbreaks as 'very labor-intensive' due to how quickly the disease can spread. Virginia had a few sporadic measles cases at the start of 2026, related to international travel or travel to areas of the US with an outbreak. But vaccination rates in the state are high, Robinson said, so those cases didn't appear to spread.

The Virginia health department has been working with the local community to identify key ways to help slow the spread and protect vulnerable residents. In June, the department issued an advisory asking unvaccinated people to 'skip large gatherings, crowded settings, and community events in the outbreak area until the outbreak subsides'. The state health department has also coordinated with local health systems to coordinate a mobile care team that community members can call for a home visit to test for measles, provide some care and help identify cases that might need additional support.

Despite the challenges, public health officials remain committed to containing the outbreak and preventing future cases. 'Vaccination is the best protection against measles, providing 97% lifetime protection after two doses,' a health department spokesperson said in an email to CNN. 'Increasing our vaccination rates improves our community immunity, which we know works to limit cases and will help us bring the outbreak under control faster.'