US measles cases hit 35-year record high

The number of measles cases in the US has climbed to 2,295 this year, surpassing the total recorded in 2025 to reach its highest level in 35 years, according to a tracker from Johns Hopkins University on Tuesday, which gathers data from state and local health agencies.

Most infections have occurred among people who are unvaccinated. Although national vaccination coverage remains relatively high, public health experts emphasize that immunization rates must stay above 95% to preserve herd immunity, according to online outlet Axios.

As of Tuesday, the national case count exceeded last year's total by nine cases. States reporting the highest numbers include South Carolina, Utah, Texas, Florida, and Arizona.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported 2,260 confirmed cases in its July 16 update and noted that 34 new outbreaks have been identified this year.

According to CDC records, the last time the US faced a higher number of measles cases was in 1991, when 9,643 infections were reported. Measles typically begins with symptoms such as a cough, high fever, conjunctivitis, and a distinctive rash.

However, it can progress to serious complications, including ear infections, pneumonia, and encephalitis -- an inflammation of the brain that may result in permanent neurological damage or death.

On average, the disease is fatal in one to three out of every 1,000 infected children.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the US secretary of health and human services since last year, is a longtime vaccine skeptic, calling vaccination a personal choice.