U.S. measles cases surpass 2025 total as outbreaks continue
Confirmed measles cases reported to the CDC in the United States have already surpassed the total recorded during all of 2025, according to an agency update posted July 31.
As of noon Thursday, July 30, the CDC had received reports of 2,371 confirmed measles cases in 2026. That compares with 2,289 confirmed cases reported during the full year of 2025. The 2026 figure is preliminary, reflects only cases notified to the CDC by the cutoff, and is not a final total for the year.
The milestone comes as summer travel continues and schools prepare to reopen. The immediate risk is not uniform nationwide: the CDC says overall risk to the general population remains low, but exposure risk is higher in communities with active outbreaks or lower vaccination coverage.
What the CDC numbers show
Of the 2,371 cases reported this year, 2,355 came from 45 jurisdictions and 16 were reported among international visitors to the United States.
The CDC also reported 37 new outbreaks in 2026. The agency said 2,219 cases, or 94% of the national total, were outbreak-associated. That includes 846 cases linked to outbreaks that began in 2026 and 1,373 cases linked to outbreaks that began in 2025.
The CDC defines a measles outbreak as three or more related cases. States and local health departments may show newer or different totals because they update on different schedules. The CDC’s national page includes confirmed cases notified to the agency as of noon each Thursday; it does not include every probable case being handled by jurisdictions.
Spread is concentrated in some communities
Associated Press reporting identified major ongoing outbreaks in South Carolina, Utah and Arizona. AP also reported that official counts may understate the true spread because some people do not seek medical care, are not tested or are not fully captured by public-health investigations.
Those state reports and expert estimates should not be confused with the CDC’s confirmed national count. Confirmed-case surveillance measures known disease activity, but it cannot provide a complete count of every infection. The CDC’s published total may also change as jurisdictions submit additional information or revise case classifications.
Vaccination coverage remains below the community-protection level
National kindergarten MMR coverage fell from 95.2% during the 2019–20 school year to 92.5% during the 2024–25 school year, according to the CDC. The agency estimated that about 286,000 kindergartners were at risk during the 2024–25 school year.
The CDC says communities generally need coverage above about 95% for most people to be protected through community immunity. Local rates can be substantially lower than the national average, allowing measles to spread more quickly after an imported case or exposure during travel.
Lower coverage does not mean every community faces the same immediate danger. The CDC says risk is higher where outbreaks are active or where pockets of unvaccinated people exist.
What wastewater monitoring can show
The CDC’s measles wastewater page, updated July 31, says monitoring can detect measles virus in community samples, including virus shed by people who do not have symptoms. It may provide an earlier community-level signal than clinical testing and is used alongside case reports and other public-health information.
A wastewater detection does not prove that a particular person has measles or establish that confirmed clinical cases exist at a specific site. The CDC says detections can help health departments investigate possible symptoms or diagnoses, alert health care providers, increase public outreach or offer vaccination clinics.
What families and travelers should do
Parents should check children’s immunization records before the 2026–27 school year and ask a health care professional about catch-up vaccination if records are incomplete. People planning international travel should review measles vaccination guidance before leaving the country.
Measles commonly begins with fever, cough, a runny nose and pink eye, followed by a rash that often starts on the face and spreads downward. Anyone with suspected measles or a known exposure should call a health care provider or health department before going to a clinic, school or emergency department.
Calling ahead allows health workers to reduce exposure to other patients and staff. Under medical and public-health guidance, some people without evidence of immunity may qualify for post-exposure protection, including MMR vaccine within 72 hours of exposure or immune globulin within six days.
Sources
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