Measles cases in the United States have climbed to 3,659 this year as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirms a second measles-related death, extending a resurgence that has already produced more cases than the country recorded during all of 2025.
The CDC’s latest case count runs through September 24 and includes infections reported across 47 U.S. jurisdictions. Forty outbreaks have been reported this year, and about 95% of confirmed cases are connected to outbreaks that began in either 2025 or 2026.
Children and teenagers account for a large share of the infections. About 18% of confirmed cases involve children younger than 5, while another 43% involve people ages 5 to 19. About 9% of patients have been hospitalized. The CDC says 95% of people with confirmed cases were either unvaccinated or had an unknown vaccination status.
Pennsylvania has been hit particularly hard, reporting more than 900 cases this year as its outbreak continues to grow. State officials have reported four measles-associated deaths, while the CDC has now confirmed two measles-related deaths nationally. Federal health officials have been working with state epidemiologists to develop a standardized definition for determining when a death should be classified as caused by measles.
Measles was declared eliminated in the United States in 2000, meaning the disease was no longer continuously spreading within the country. Cases can still be brought into the United States by infected travelers and spread after reaching communities where vaccination coverage is low. The CDC says two doses of the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine provide the best protection against the disease.
The Readovia Lens
The size of this year’s resurgence puts the numbers into perspective. The United States recorded 2,289 confirmed measles cases during all of 2025; by late September this year, the total had already reached 3,659. With outbreaks continuing and most confirmed cases involving people who were unvaccinated or whose vaccination status was unknown, measles remains an active public-health problem heading into the final months of 2026.
