The Pan American Health Organization determined the disease is spreading continuously after cases more than doubled in 2026.
The United States has lost its measles elimination status after continuous domestic transmission persisted for more than a year, ending 26 years of disease elimination recognized since 2000.
The Pan American Health Organization, a regional office for the World Health Organization covering North and South America, made the determination following a review of country data, CBS News reported. An independent verification commission examined elimination data during a Nov. 10 to Nov. 13 meeting in Washington, D.C., with a formal announcement scheduled for Tuesday, Nov. 17, according to Fox News.
What losing elimination status means
To hold measles elimination status under World Health Organization standards, a nation must have no continuous chains of transmission or outbreaks that last 12 months or longer. Isolated infections and shorter clusters do not jeopardize that standing.
Losing the status indicates that measles is circulating continuously within the country because vaccination rates have dropped below the levels required for community protection. Dr. Stephanie Widmer, an emergency medicine physician in New York City, told Fox News that the shift does not reflect an issue with immunization itself. “Losing elimination status doesn’t mean the vaccine stopped working,” she said.
Health experts noted that clinicians must now evaluate measles in any patient presenting with fever and a rash, even if the person has not traveled outside the country. Unvaccinated people remain at highest risk, along with infants too young to receive doses, pregnant women and individuals with weakened immune systems. Dr. Omer Awan, an epidemiologist, told CBS News that vulnerable individuals will suffer the greatest impact. “They will be the ones that are most vulnerable to getting infected and experiencing the complications,” such as pneumonia or brain inflammation, he said.
Case counts and recent outbreaks
Federal data shows that measles cases have climbed sharply over the past two years. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention tallied 5,412 confirmed cases in 2026 through Nov. 12, spanning 45 states and Washington, D.C. That count more than doubles the previous year’s total. Outlets reported slightly different figures for the 2025 total: CBS News cited CDC data of 2,242 cases across 48 outbreaks, while Fox News cited CDC data showing 2,289 cases.
About a third of the infections in 2026 are connected to outbreaks that began in 2025 and never stopped spreading, along with 43 new outbreaks identified this year. More than 590 hospitalizations and at least six deaths have been recorded at the federal level in 2026. State tallies show additional fatalities. Pennsylvania has reported more than 1,500 cases and seven deaths, while New York and Wisconsin have each confirmed one fatality. The death in Wisconsin involved an infant and marked the state’s first measles-related fatality since 1990.
CDC figures show that 96% of infected individuals in 2026 were either unvaccinated or did not know their vaccination status, while fully vaccinated patients accounted for only 2% of cases. The two-dose measles, mumps and rubella vaccine provides about 97% protection against infection.
Measles history and path to recovery
The U.S. began tracking measles nationally in 1912, recording roughly 6,000 deaths annually in the early years of monitoring. Between 1953 and 1963, before a vaccine became available, 3 million to 4 million people contracted the virus each year, leading to 400 to 500 deaths and tens of thousands of hospitalizations. After the shot was introduced in 1963, case counts fell steadily, dropping 80% between 1980 and 1981 and leading to the elimination milestone in 2000.
Earlier flare-ups, including a 2015 outbreak connected to Disneyland and a 2018 to 2019 outbreak in New York, were eventually stopped before reaching the 12-month mark.
To regain elimination standing, public health agencies must document a vaccination rate of 95% or higher, maintain sensitive surveillance systems, preserve laboratory capacity and respond swiftly to new cases. Policy choices also affect coverage. Nine states relaxed vaccine exemption rules in 2025, while states that eliminated nonmedical exemptions saw kindergarten immunization rates increase by 2 to 4 percentage points. Most state legislatures reconvene in January, when lawmakers will set upcoming exemption policies.
