Measles cases in US hit new record since disease was declared eliminated in 2000

By Efe Ozkan

ISTANBUL (AA) - Measles cases in the US rose to new heights this week, with 2025 now having the most cases since the disease was declared eliminated in the US in 2000.

As of Monday, 1,277 cases have been reported, more than the 1,274 measles cases reported in all of 2019, according to a US Measles Tracker hosted by the International Vaccine Access Center (IVAC) at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.

“The ongoing outbreak we are seeing in the US underscores the importance of maintaining adequate levels of measles vaccination,” said IVAC Executive Director William Moss, who co-leads the measles tracking project.

Nearly all 2025 cases have occurred in those who are unvaccinated or whose vaccination status is unknown.

Cases have been reported across a wide age range, indicating that this outbreak was years in the making due to long-standing gaps in measles vaccine coverage.

​​​​​​​“The US is at risk of losing its measles elimination status should cases continue at this rate. As vaccine confidence continues to be undermined, immunization is more important than ever to end this outbreak and prevent future outbreaks from occurring,” Moss stated.

The alarming numbers come amid criticism of the Trump administration’s public health policy, with Health and Human Services Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr. casting doubt on vaccines’ effectiveness and cuts in vaccine funding.