CDC Reports 2,318 Measles Cases in 2026, Topping Last Year’s Total
As of July 24, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has confirmed 2,318 measles cases across 44 U.S. jurisdictions this year. Cases in July of 2026 have surpassed the 2,289 cases reported for the full year of 2025, and up drastically from the 285 cases recorded in 2024.
In 2026, 93% of cases are linked to outbreaks, including 741 cases from 34 new outbreaks that started this year and 1,367 cases carried over from outbreaks that began in 2025. The CDC defines an outbreak as three or more linked cases.
In 2026, the 5-19 age group accounts for 50% of cases, while children under 5 make up 20% of cases. Adults 20 and older represent 30% of cases. That age distribution has shifted somewhat from 2024, when nearly half of cases (42%) were in children under 5.
CDC officials point to declining kindergarten vaccination rates as a root cause; 93% of 2026 cases occurred in people who were unvaccinated or whose vaccination status was unknown, with just 3% among those who received one MMR dose and 4% among those fully vaccinated with two doses.
National MMR coverage among kindergartners fell from 95.2% in the 2019–2020 school year to 92.5% in 2024–2025, leaving an estimated 286,000 kindergartners without protection that year. Community immunity requires coverage above 95%. Two doses of the MMR vaccine remain 97% effective at preventing infection, and one dose is 93% effective, according to the agency.
Contracting measles can be dangerous. The CDC says it can lead to serious complications, hospitalization, and death, especially in babies, young children, pregnant people, adults over 20, and immunocompromised people.
CDC also notes that about 1 in 5 unvaccinated people with measles is hospitalized. Complications can include pneumonia, encephalitis, and death. The best protection is vaccination, since measles is highly contagious and preventable.
