Measles cases hit U.S. record not seen since 1991

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Set us as preferred Measles cases have hit a record in the United States not seen since 1991, nearly a decade before the viral disease was declared eliminated.The grim milestone comes amid a generational setback in controlling the highly contagious disease, which prior to the vaccine era caused millions of infections a year, and annually left 400 to 500 people dead, 1,000 with swelling of the brain, and 48,000 hospitalizations.Last year, the U.S.

recorded three measles deaths — the first deaths since 2015, and the first among children since 2003.The deaths last year were two unvaccinated school-age children in Texas and an unvaccinated adult in New Mexico.So far this year, there have been 2,318 measles cases reported nationwide, according to the U.S.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.That’s higher than in any other calendar year since a significant nationwide measles epidemic between 1989 and 1991 led to 55,365 cases over the three years — 17,914 in 1989; 27,808 in 1990; and 9,643 in 1991.

“Halfway into 2026 the U.S.is experiencing the worst year for measles since 1991.

We are witnessing an avoidable crisis that disproportionally hurts children,” Dr.Andrew Racine, president of the American Academy of Pediatrics, said in a statement Friday.

“These thousands of cases represent real people in communities across the country, including babies hospitalized with pneumonia.“After keeping measles under control for decades, the country has now experienced continuous outbreaks since January 2025.We should not accept this as our new normal.

Unless we reverse this trend, America’s children will continue to pay the price,” Racine said.Health experts expect that the U.S.

will lose its status of having “eliminated” measles from the nation, a status that was achieved in 2000, which refers to the absence of ...