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News
America's measles crisis keeps accelerating. The CDC's latest weekly update puts confirmed 2026 cases at 3,294 — surpassing all of last year by more than 1,000 — with five consecutive weeks of triple-digit increases. Pennsylvania is now the hardest-hit state, and 95% of cases involve unvaccinated or vaccination-status-unknown individuals.
The CDC's latest weekly update confirms 3,294 measles cases in the US so far in 2026 — more than 1,000 above the full-year 2025 total of 2,289, which was itself the highest count since 1991. The country has now logged five straight weeks of triple-digit case increases, with 160 new cases reported this week alone. Cases have spread to 45 states plus Washington, DC and New York City, and 95% of patients are unvaccinated or have unknown vaccination status.
Pennsylvania has emerged as the nation's new epicenter, surpassing South Carolina with 676 confirmed cases in 2026. Officials report that 18% of patients have required hospitalization, and the true case count is likely far higher, as many people never seek medical care. Wisconsin is also seeing a rapid rise, with 163 cases concentrated in a multi-county outbreak in the state's southwest.
Why it matters: Measles is one of the most contagious diseases known, and this outbreak is on track to be the worst in decades. With the vast majority of cases occurring in unvaccinated individuals, the data underscores the critical role of vaccination — and the real public health cost of declining immunization rates.
