US measles cases top 1,100 in 2026, sparking fears of record surge

The United States has recorded over 1,100 measles cases so far this year, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) showed on Friday (local time), which is now becoming a troubling milestone that has many in public health bracing for the worst, CNN reported.

According to the CDC, out of every 1,000 children who are diagnosed with measles, one is at risk of developing encephalitis, a dangerous swelling of the brain. It also suggests that up to three out of every 1,000 infected children will die.

A separate tracker maintained by the Johns Hopkins University Center for Outbreak Response Innovation has recorded an even higher annual case count than the CDC’s figures.

Dr. William Schaffner, an infectious disease expert at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, has described the current trajectory for measles in the country as "disappointing and depressing, and ominous," especially because the country has a safe and available vaccine to protect its citizens against measles and the complications that come with it. He further said, "Measles is a fierce infection, and we should be preventing it,” he said. “It can strike any healthy, normal child in its most severe fashion.”

Of this 96%, over 80% cases have been among children and teens, with approximately one in four cases being reported in children who are under five years. Further, over half of the US states have reported a measles case so far in 2026, with at least three large outbreaks happening across the country.

Since October 2025, South Carolina's measles outbreak has been the largest that the US has seen since measles was reportedly eliminated. According to the South Carolina Department of Public Health, the region reported 979 cases since October. Spartanburg County, where the outbreak is centered, is an area with low vaccination rates. Reflecting national patterns, more than 93% of measles cases in South Carolina have occurred in people who have not received the MMR vaccine, according to state health officials.

While the state has not reported any deaths so far, it has reported severe complications from measles, including pneumonia and encephalitis, which can impact the patient's hearing ability or leave them with an intellectual disability. After exposure to the disease, several pregnant women also require immunoglobulin treatment to help protect against the high risk of complications.

Cases of new measles in South Carolina have started to slow down over the past few weeks. Last week, fewer than two dozen cases were reported, down from the approximate 250 cases, which was reported in a week at the height of the outbreak in mid-January.

A measles outbreak has also been reported in other states, like Utah and Arizona, with each of these states reporting over a hundred cases since the summer. Additionally, since January, a more recent outbreak has been reported, which is growing rapidly along the Southwest coast of Florida.

He added that rising vaccine hesitancy has left more young children vulnerable in recent years.