The United States is grappling with its worst measles outbreak since 1990, with 1,277 confirmed cases reported across 38 states and Washington, D.C., according to data from Johns Hopkins University. The surge is being attributed to declining vaccination rates and growing anti-vaccine sentiment in certain communities.
Texas has emerged as the epicenter, accounting for over 700 infections, particularly in low-immunisation areas such as Mennonite communities. Kansas and New Mexico have also reported significant clusters. So far, three deaths and more than 150 hospitalisations have been recorded nationwide.
The U.S. had declared measles eliminated in 2000 after successful vaccination efforts reduced annual cases to fewer than 90. But public health officials now warn that the country risks losing that status if widespread transmission continues for 12 consecutive months.
“This is a dangerous reversal of decades of progress,” said a CDC spokesperson, noting that 92% of infected individuals were either unvaccinated or had unknown immunisation status.
The last comparable outbreak occurred in 2019, with 1,274 cases reported. The current tally has already surpassed that, marking 2025 as the most severe year for measles in 33 years.
In response, some states are ramping up vaccination drives. Texas, for example, administered 173,000 doses of the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine between January and mid-March — an increase from 158,000 during the same period last year. The MMR vaccine is 97% effective at preventing the disease.
The resurgence comes amid a rise in misinformation and scepticism around vaccines. U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who previously cast doubt on vaccine safety, has since reversed course. “The MMR vaccine is the most effective way to prevent the spread of measles,” he posted on social media platform X.
Globally, measles is also on the rise. The UK recorded nearly 3,000 cases in 2024 and has seen over 500 so far this year. Canada has reported more than 3,000 infections, with Ontario and Alberta worst affected.
Health authorities worldwide are urging parents to ensure children receive both doses of the MMR vaccine, warning that complacency threatens to undo decades of disease prevention.
