Measles outbreak is once again seeing a sharp surge across the USA, with 160 new confirmed measles cases in the past week, hitting 1,136 cases, as per the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
As per the latest report, Measles cases surpassed the total of 2,281 cases by spring last, marking a historic surge since the early 1990s before CDC conducted coordinated campaigns to raise coverage of measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine in children, which led to reduction stats in 2001.
Among those 1,136 cases reported in 2026, 1,130 are transmitted across 27 states and New York City, while six are travel-related. Ten outbreaks involving 152 patients have been recorded so far.
Usually children were affected, involving 24% kids under age of 5, 81% under 19, the remaining 4% were fully vaccinated, while 92% were unvaccinated or had unknown vaccine status.
Among the affected individuals, nearly 5% patients led to severe complications, prompting hospitalization; however, no deaths were recorded.
Florida is also recording a rapidly increasing number of cases, with media reports citing 114 infections. South Carolina, the hardest-hit state, has recorded 986 cases since October, mostly in Spartanburg County.
Texas confirmed nearly 17 cases in El Paso, including 13 at an ICE detention facility. Ohio, Utah, and Arizona have also reported new cases.
Health officials stress the need for vaccination, calling it the best protection against measles.
