US records highest annual measles case tally in 33 years
What's the story
The United States is witnessing its worst measles outbreak in over three decades. As of July 4, Johns Hopkins University's Center for Outbreak Response Innovation has recorded 1,277 cases. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has reported 1,267 cases but hasn't updated its data since July 2. Per the CDC, the majority of the cases (92%) were in people who were either unvaccinated or whose vaccination status was unknown.
Vaccination drop
Outbreak significantly underestimated, says expert
Measles was declared eliminated in the US in 2000, but vaccination rates have dropped below necessary levels due to the COVID-19 pandemic and anti-vaccine movements. Dr. Paul Offit from the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia believes this outbreak is significantly underestimated, calling it "the tip of a much bigger iceberg." The current national tally is likely to surpass 2019's total of 1,274 cases, when a large outbreak occurred in New York City's Orthodox Jewish community.
Texas outbreak
Texas has reported 753 cases this year
In 2025, Texas has reported 753 cases, raising the possibility of a record-breaking year for the state. The CDC estimates that before vaccines were introduced in 1963, millions of Americans contracted measles annually. Although the vaccine has been highly successful in preventing illness and death from measles, misinformation campaigns have targeted it since doctor Andrew Wakefield's fraudulent study linked the MMR vaccine to autism in 1998.
Misinformation impact
Health secretary fired advisory panel on vaccines
Now, along with anti-vaccine talking points about autism, Dr. Peter Hotez, a vaccine expert, warns of new anti-vaccine sentiments from the "health and wellness and influencer movement." Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had earlier spread misinformation regarding childhood immunizations only to later endorse the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine as sickness spread. In June, he had fired all 17 members of a CDC advisory panel on vaccines.