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Measles cases in the United States have climbed to 1,288 so far this year—the highest figure since the disease was officially declared eliminated in 2000—according to fresh data released Wednesday by the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
A disease is considered “eliminated” when there has been no continuous transmission for more than 12 months. The last time measles cases in the U.S. reached similar levels was in 1992, when infections peaked at 2,126, CDC records show.
While the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), which oversees the CDC, emphasised that the general public remains at low risk, it warned that “communities with low vaccination rates in areas experiencing active outbreaks face significantly higher risks.”
The current surge is largely attributed to declining immunisation rates—particularly among children in states like Texas and New Mexico—where vaccination coverage has dropped well below the 95% level needed for herd immunity.
In response, the CDC is actively deploying support: “technical assistance, laboratory resources, and vaccine supply are all part of the agency’s continued efforts to control the spread,” according to HHS.
Dr. William Moss, a paediatrician and infectious disease expert at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, expressed concern over the rising numbers. “The U.S. is at risk of losing its measles elimination status should cases continue at this rate,” he warned.
The U.S. had already crossed 1,000 confirmed cases by May. Although the pace of new infections has slowed somewhat, transmission has continued into neighbouring states.
“It is true that the slope of the curve has flattened somewhat… but it’s hard to predict what patterns will play out,” Moss added.
Public health professionals are calling for renewed and urgent advocacy for vaccinations. The CDC states that the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine is “97% effective after two doses.”
“CDC continues to recommend MMR vaccines as the best way to protect against measles,” HHS reiterated.
However, disinformation surrounding vaccine safety continues to erode public trust, contributing to the current crisis.
Meanwhile, separate data published Friday by Johns Hopkins University’s Outbreak Response Centre confirmed that this year’s tally has now exceeded the 2019 total of 1,274 cases—the previous post-elimination high.
