Health officials in the United States are confronting a significant and rapid resurgence of measles, with more than 171 confirmed cases reported in the first two weeks of 2026 alone. The outbreaks have spread across nine states, sparking serious concern that a disease once declared eliminated could become endemic again.
Outbreak Details and Expert Warnings
According to new data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the outbreaks have been detected in Arizona, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, South Carolina, Utah, and Virginia. South Carolina has been particularly hard hit, recording 124 new diagnosed cases. Of the total 171 new cases, 165 are linked to outbreaks that began in 2025.
This alarming spike follows a troubling year in 2025, which saw 2,242 people diagnosed with measles across 49 separate outbreaks. David Heaton, a public information officer for the Southwest Utah Department of Public Health, expressed grave concern to ABC News, stating the nation risks losing its measles-eliminated status if the trend continues. "That's kind of a discouraging threshold that we're getting closer to," he said.
The Link to Falling Vaccination Rates
The surge in measles cases coincides with a sharp and sustained decline in childhood vaccination rates across the country. Research published in the medical journal JAMA found that exemption rates for school-required vaccines have increased in 53 percent of US counties since the Covid-19 pandemic.
Paediatricians and public health experts directly attribute this decline to a flood of political misinformation. Dr. Jesse Hackell, a New York-based paediatrician, told CNN that while the science proving vaccines are safe and effective remains unchanged, "what has changed is the politics and the misinformation behind the discussion."
Political Rhetoric and Public Health Consequences
This environment of doubt has been amplified by figures at the highest levels of the US government. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a prominent voice in the 'Make America Healthy Again' mission, has publicly questioned vaccine efficacy. In a 2025 interview, he made disputed claims that the measles vaccine causes deaths and loses effectiveness annually.
Former President Donald Trump has also suggested there "could be a problem" with combining measles, mumps, and rubella vaccines in a single shot. Fiona Havers, a former CDC infectious disease expert, told The Hill that the current crisis is a direct result of such anti-vaccine politics. "This is a very clear example of the damage that the anti-vaccine movement has done," she stated, blaming decades of false information for the drop in vaccine rates.
Measles is a highly contagious disease that can cause severe complications, including death, particularly in young children, pregnant women, and the immunocompromised. The Independent has contacted the Department of Health and Human Services for comment on the escalating situation.
