Washington, D.C.: The United States is grappling with its worst measles outbreak in over three decades, with 1,277 confirmed infections reported nationwide, according to data released by Johns Hopkins University.
The outbreak marks a troubling revival of the highly contagious and vaccine-preventable disease, which was declared eliminated in the US in 2000. Measles cases have now been recorded in 38 states and the District of Columbia. At least three deaths have been linked to the outbreak, and 155 patients have required hospitalisation.
A vast majority of those infected, 92 percent, were either unvaccinated or had an unknown vaccination status, according to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Texas has been the most challenging hit, reporting over 700 cases, followed by Kansas and New Mexico with dozens of cases each.
Public health officials point to communities with low vaccination uptake such as certain Mennonite populations in Texas, as hotbeds for transmission. The CDC warns that if measles continues to spread at the current pace for more than 12 months, the US could lose its measles elimination status.
The outbreak comes with growing vaccine hesitancy in the US, fuelled in part by misinformation. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who previously questioned childhood vaccinations and downplayed the severity of the outbreak, has since reversed his stance, publicly endorsing the MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) vaccine.
In response to the outbreak, measles vaccination rates have begun to rise. Texas administered at least 173,000 doses between January 1 and March 16 this year, up from 158,000 during the same period in 2024, according to state health department data.
The MMR vaccine, which is 97 percent effective, remains the most reliable defence against measles. The disease can lead to severe complications, including pneumonia, brain swelling, and even death.
Globally, measles outbreaks are also escalating. England reported nearly 3,000 cases in 2024, the highest since 2012 and has already seen 529 cases in 2025. In Canada, more than 3,000 cases have been confirmed this year, primarily in Ontario and Alberta. Health authorities across North America are urging the public to get vaccinated as they race to control the outbreak and prevent further loss of life.
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