The U.S. just surpassed a grim measles milestone

"Hitting 1,000 [cases] in February is unprecedented, but it's not because there's something new about the virus or disease like when there's new strains of flu. It's unprecedented because of how preventable it is, says Amy Winter, a demographer and epidemiologist at the University of Georgia College of Public Health. This is 100 percent a reflection of the recent declines in vaccination rates."

"Measles is a vaccine-preventable viral disease that is both extremely contagious and potentially deadly. The U.S. was declared measles-free in 2000, but experts say that achievement is all but certain to be reversed. The rate of infections this year is accelerating at a much faster pace than even during the outbreak that began in West Texas in 2025."

"Most of the confirmed cases—90 percent—are linked to upsurges across more than a dozen states, with a relentless outbreak in South Carolina fueling the majority of infections this year. On February 24 South Carolina's public health department reported 979 total cases since the fall of 2025; 913 of those cases were in people who did not receive the measles."

The United States has confirmed 1,136 measles cases as of February 26, 2026, already approaching half of the 2,256 cases reported throughout 2025. This represents an unprecedented acceleration, with the outbreak progressing faster than the 2025 West Texas outbreak. Measles is a vaccine-preventable viral disease that is highly contagious and potentially deadly. The U.S. was declared measles-free in 2000, but experts warn this status will likely be reversed. Public health experts attribute the resurgence to declining vaccination rates rather than new viral strains. South Carolina accounts for the majority of cases, with 979 confirmed since fall 2025, predominantly among unvaccinated individuals. The CDC's reported numbers likely undercount actual infections, as many cases remain undetected or unreported.

Read at www.scientificamerican.com