The United States has reportedly lost its measles elimination status for the first time in 26 years, marking a major setback in the nation’s fight against one of the world’s most contagious diseases as outbreaks continue to spread across multiple states.
The decision, reported by KFF Health News, comes after sustained measles transmission and declining vaccination rates undermined a public health achievement the country had maintained since 2000. The Pan American Health Organization, or PAHO, which oversees measles elimination certification in the Americas, is expected to publicly announce its determination on November 17.
Measles elimination does not mean a country has zero cases. It means the disease is no longer spreading continuously within its borders for at least 12 months. Imported cases can still occur, but public health officials must prevent those infections from establishing ongoing transmission.
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Losing that designation means measles has once again established sustained transmission in the United States, reversing decades of progress made possible largely through widespread childhood vaccination.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the United States recorded 5,412 confirmed measles cases as of November 12, 2026, more than twice the 2,289 cases reported during all of 2025. Cases have been reported across most of the country, with particularly severe outbreaks in Pennsylvania, South Carolina, Utah and Wisconsin.
Pennsylvania alone has recorded more than 1,500 infections this year, making it one of the hardest-hit states. The state also reported another measles-related death in November, bringing its reported death toll to seven for 2026.
The national resurgence has been accompanied by hospitalizations and deaths, including among infants who were too young to receive their routine measles vaccinations. According to KFF Health News, more than 830 people have been hospitalized over the past two years, while states have reported 13 measles-associated deaths since 2025.
The resurgence has raised questions about declining childhood immunization rates and the federal government’s response under Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has a long history of questioning vaccine safety.
CDC data show that measles, mumps and rubella vaccination coverage among kindergarten students declined from 95.2% during the 2019-2020 school year to 92.4% during the 2025-2026 school year. That leaves approximately 280,000 kindergarten students without the recommended protection.
Public health officials generally recommend vaccination coverage of at least 95% to prevent widespread measles transmission. Because measles spreads so easily, even relatively small gaps in vaccination can allow outbreaks to grow.
The disease spreads through the air when an infected person breathes, coughs or sneezes. The virus can remain infectious in the air for up to two hours after an infected person leaves an area.
Symptoms typically include fever, coughing, runny nose, red eyes and a distinctive rash. Although many patients recover, measles can cause pneumonia, brain inflammation, permanent neurological damage and death.
Two doses of the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine are approximately 97% effective at preventing measles, according to the CDC.
The growing outbreaks have also intensified scrutiny of Kennedy’s leadership at the Department of Health and Human Services.
Kennedy, who previously promoted claims questioning vaccine safety, has overseen changes to federal vaccine policy and significant reductions in public health funding. KFF Health News reported that the Trump administration cut funding for childhood immunization programs and research into vaccine hesitancy as outbreaks expanded.
Some public health researchers have criticized those decisions, arguing that reduced federal support and conflicting public messaging have complicated efforts to contain the disease.
The administration disputes suggestions that its policies caused the resurgence. HHS spokesperson Emily Hilliard told KFF Health News that vaccination gaps responsible for the outbreaks developed before the current administration took office.
National childhood vaccination rates had already been declining following the COVID-19 pandemic, although the trend has continued during Trump’s second term.
The American Public Health Association has also criticized federal health leadership, arguing that a stronger national vaccination campaign could have helped prevent the loss of elimination status.
Beyond the public health consequences, the outbreaks are creating significant financial costs for families, hospitals and state health departments. Researchers at Johns Hopkins University estimate that measles outbreaks over the past two years have cost approximately $125 million in medical treatment, public health response efforts and lost productivity.
For families, the risks extend beyond those who choose not to vaccinate. Infants younger than 12 months generally have not received their first routine measles vaccine dose, while some people with weakened immune systems cannot receive the live vaccine.
Those individuals depend partly on high vaccination rates within their communities to reduce their exposure to the virus.
The loss of elimination status does not automatically change vaccination requirements, school attendance rules or access to medical care. States and local health departments remain responsible for managing outbreaks, identifying exposed individuals and implementing measures to limit transmission.
The United States could eventually regain its elimination designation by demonstrating that sustained measles transmission has ended and maintaining that progress for at least 12 months.
For now, the reported decision represents the end of a public health milestone established in 2000, when widespread vaccination had successfully interrupted continuous measles transmission throughout the country.
PAHO is expected to formally announce its findings on November 17, providing additional details about its assessment and the steps required for the United States to regain elimination status.
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Image Alt Text: Measles vaccination sign at a public health clinic as the United States loses its measles elimination status following a surge in infections in 2026.
Sources and Fact-Checking
Editorial verification, November 14, 2026: Multiple news organizations report that PAHO has reached its decision, but its formal public announcement remains scheduled for November 17. The article attributes the decision accordingly rather than presenting the announcement as already published.
