Measles was declared eradicated from the US in 2000 thanks to vaccination, but has made a strong comeback in recent years amid declining vaccination rates. (EPA Images pic)WASHINGTON: The US has recorded more than 5,000 cases of measles this year, the highest number in 35 years, according to an official count released Friday.
So far in 2026, 5,182 confirmed cases of the highly contagious but highly preventable disease have been reported across the country, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the nation's leading public health agency.
That compares with 2,289 cases during all of 2025, and is the highest level recorded by the CDC since 1991.
State health officials have reported at least eight measles-related deaths, including among very young children.
