Posted on 07/09/25
| News Source: WSJ
Measles cases in the U.S. have hit a three-decade high, reaching the highest yearly total since 1992 in less than seven months, according to data released Wednesday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
At least 1,288 measles cases have been reported across the U.S. just over halfway through the year, surpassing the 1,274 cases reported in 2019, when outbreaks in New York pushed the national case count to its highest level in decades at the time.
More than 90% of those infected with measles so far this year were unvaccinated or had an unknown vaccine status, according to the CDC. Two doses of the measles, mumps and rubella, or MMR, vaccine are 97% effective at preventing measles.
The climbing case count is fueled largely by an outbreak that began in West Texas and spread to other states. The vaccine-preventable disease in 2025 has hospitalized hundreds and resulted in the first U.S. measles-related deaths in a decade.
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has faced scrutiny from doctors and epidemiologists for his approach to vaccines. In June, Kennedy dismissed all previous members of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. His new panel of advisers said last month they would re-evaluate the recommended schedules for measles and hepatitis B vaccines for children and teenagers.
Amid the Texas measles outbreak, Kennedy has touted unproven treatments that infectious disease specialists say distract from the importance of vaccination. He said in a post on X in April that the MMR vaccine is the best way to prevent the spread of measles.
Health and Human Services spokesman Andrew Nixon said the risk for measles infection in the U.S. is low and that the agency is supporting communities with outbreaks.
“CDC continues to recommend MMR vaccines as the best way to protect against measles,” Nixon said. “The decision to vaccinate is a personal one.”