Curie Brief
Turn on cookies to sign in
Signing in saves your progress to your Curie account. We can only do that with cookies on — turn them on to continue.
News
Measles is surging in the US, and adults are a bigger part of the story than most people realize. Nearly 4 in 10 confirmed cases this year are in people 20 and older, and adults account for more than half of all measles hospitalizations. Pennsylvania's outbreak — the worst in the country — has now claimed four lives, including a 40-year-old woman and an 18-year-old.
Measles has long been framed as a childhood disease, but 2026's outbreak data tells a different story. According to the CDC, 38% of confirmed US measles cases this year — 1,305 out of 3,471 — are in adults 20 and older, up from 29% in 2025. Adults are being hospitalized at roughly the same rate as children under 5 (12% vs. 13%), and they account for more than half of all measles hospitalizations this year.
Pennsylvania, the hardest-hit state, has seen four measles-associated deaths in 2026 — including a 40-year-old woman and an 18-year-old who died of a rare neurologic complication. About 70% of Pennsylvania's cases are in people 18 and older. The US hasn't recorded four measles deaths in a single year since 1992. Beyond the acute illness, measles can cause "immune amnesia," temporarily erasing years of immune memory — a risk that isn't limited to the elderly or immunocompromised.
By the Numbers:
Why it matters: Adults who grew up assuming measles was "handled" may be unvaccinated or under-vaccinated — and the current outbreak is exposing that gap. Checking MMR vaccination records and getting a booster if needed is a simple step that could prevent serious illness.
