An independent commission of experts reporting to the director of the Pan American Health Organization has declared that the United States no longer qualifies as having eliminated measles. The decision follows years of declining vaccination coverage and a surge in case counts, with the committee citing evidence that the same measles strain has circulated in Utah for more than a year, accounting for over 600 cases between June 2025 and June 2026.
Other states, including South Carolina, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and New York, have also experienced sustained outbreaks. The commission’s assessment is based on genetic sequencing of viruses, which shows ongoing person‑to‑person transmission within the country. Dr. Angela Rassmussen of the University of Saskatchewan noted that the Utah data alone would have sufficed to overturn the elimination status.
Since 2000, when measles was declared eliminated in the United States, the country has seen yearly outbreaks triggered by travelers. Those outbreaks were usually contained by high vaccination rates. In 2025 and 2026, however, the virus found more unvaccinated communities, leading to the highest number of cases since 1991 – over 5,400 reported this year alone. More than 1,000 cases are linked to outbreaks that began last year, with most cases occurring in individuals who had not received the MMR vaccine or whose status is unknown.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that roughly one in nine reported cases required hospitalization, and state reports confirm at least ten deaths. Dr. Demetre Daskalakis, former director of the National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, warned that losing elimination status signals cracks in the nation’s public health foundation.
Health experts emphasize that measles is far from benign. It can wipe out immune memory, leading to secondary infections, and can cause serious neurological complications such as subacute sclerosing panencephalitis. Pregnant women who contract measles risk passing the virus to their unborn children.
Dr. Nuwan Gunawardhana of Columbia University Irvine Medical Center described the loss as “devastating and sad,” while Dr. Peter Hotez of Texas Children’s Hospital called it “incredibly embarrassing” but also a warning that measles is back. The declaration underscores the need to restore high vaccination coverage to protect vulnerable populations.
Public health officials are urged to intensify vaccination campaigns and address vaccine hesitancy, especially among communities that have seen declining MMR uptake. The next steps will involve monitoring outbreak trends and ensuring that the United States regains its elimination status in the coming years.
