U.S. measles cases reach 33-year record high as outbreaks spread

Johns Hopkins University data reflects the public health reversal in defeating the vaccine-preventable disease since measles was officially eliminated from the U.S. in 2000.

The United States has reached its highest annual measles case tally in 33 years, hitting at least 1,277 confirmed cases across 38 states and the District of Columbia.

The milestone marks a public health reversal in defeating a highly contagious, vaccine-preventable disease as the anti-vaccine movement gains strength.

The nation surpassed infections reported in 2019, reaching the largest number of cases since 1992, when officials recorded more than 2,100 infections, according to data published Friday from the Johns Hopkins University Center for Outbreak Response Innovation (CORI).

“It’s devastating,” said Claire Hannan, executive director of the Association of Immunization Managers, a national organization of state and local immunization officials. “We worked so hard to eliminate the threat of measles and to keep it at bay.”

https://www.washingtonpost.com/health/2025/07/07/measles-cases-hit-record/

Expect a chorus of Republicans to soon be telling us that catching measles is good for your health and your immune system.