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4h ago

U.S. Measles Cases Hit 1,277, Highest Since Elimination in 2000

Low immunization rates coupled with steep public health funding cuts threaten the nation's measles elimination status

A child is vaccinated against measles
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Overview

  • Texas health officials report over 750 confirmed cases, 155 hospitalizations, and three deaths, all in unvaccinated residents.
  • Gaines County’s outbreak has spawned clusters in at least 38 states and the District of Columbia, with new flare-ups in New Mexico and Kansas.
  • Average MMR vaccination coverage at the county level slid to 91.3% in 2024, well below the 95% threshold needed to maintain herd immunity.
  • The Texas state health department administered more than 173,000 measles vaccine doses in the first quarter of 2025, yet public outreach remains undercut by misinformation and an $11.4 billion cut in CDC COVID-19 funds.
  • The CDC cautions that uninterrupted measles transmission through January 20, 2026, would strip the United States of its elimination status.