The US is currently witnessing its worst year of measles outbreak since 1992, as the country has recorded 1,288 cases so far, the highest in three decades, according to the latest figures from the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
More than two-thirds of states have reported at least one case, with 27 outbreaks (three or more related cases) identified nationwide. Three deaths have occurred, two unvaccinated children in Texas and one adult in New Mexico, with dozens hospitalised.
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The origins of the outbreak
Since the beginning of 2025, almost all states have reported measles patients; however, the caseload is in Texas, which has recorded the biggest outbreak of the disease with 753 measles cases this year.
The outbreak in Texas began in January, with the state reporting 15 to 20 new cases of measles per day, raising fears among health officials that the country might lose its “elimination” status. The elimination status means that a disease has not surfaced in a country or region for 12 months or longer.
Vaccine hesitancy
The vast majority of cases are among unvaccinated individuals; 92 per cent of confirmed cases involved people who were unvaccinated or whose status was unknown.
Dr. Adam Ratner, a pediatric infectious disease physician in New York City, told NPR that vaccination among kindergarten children has dropped significantly. “What we’re seeing now is, as vaccine hesitancy has grown, particularly during and after the COVID pandemic, those outbreaks are becoming more frequent and larger,” he said.
Vaccine hesitancy has increased post-pandemic, with declining MMR coverage among children now below the 95 per cent herd immunity threshold.
A Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR) vaccine is one of the most effective shots, with a single shot giving 93 per cent protection from infection, and two doses up to 98 per cent.
RFK Jr to be blamed?
Recent changes in federal health leadership and messaging, including the appointment of vaccine sceptic Robert F Kennedy Jr, have contributed to public confusion and resistance to immunisation efforts.
A number of leading health organisations in the US are suing RFK over his recent changes in the country’s vaccine policy. Kennedy has announced that pregnant women and healthy children will be removed from the COVID-19 vaccine schedule.
