U.S. measles cases near 2025 total as vaccination rates dip
The United States has reported 2,231 measles cases through July, nearly matching last year's total, as public health officials cite declining vaccination coverage and waning trust in health authorities as contributing factors.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported 2,231 measles cases in the United States as of July 9, just 58 fewer than the 2,289 cases recorded for the entire 2025 year. The 2025 figure had been the highest in more than three decades, and experts warn the country could lose its measles-elimination status achieved in 2000 if the trend continues.
Health specialists attribute the rise to several factors, including a gradual decline in MMR vaccination rates, reduced public perception of risk, and diminished confidence in public-health institutions following mixed messaging during the COVID-19 pandemic. The CDC notes that MMR coverage among kindergarteners fell to 92.5% in the 2024-2025 school year, down from 95.2% before the pandemic.
"We don't fear these diseases," said Dr. Paul Offit, director of the Vaccine Education Center at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, noting that the success of vaccination programs has left many people unfamiliar with the seriousness of measles. Dr. William Schaffner, a preventive-medicine professor at Vanderbilt University, warned that the erosion of public trust has made vaccine recommendations subject to skepticism.
The CDC’s communication on measles has also been criticized. A Johns Hopkins analysis found the agency posted only ten measles-related updates on its social-media channels between January and August 2025, a sharp decline from previous years. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. faced scrutiny for delayed endorsement of the MMR vaccine and for sharing unverified treatment claims on social media. An HHS spokesperson reiterated that vaccination remains the most effective prevention method and highlighted $8.5 million in federal funding allocated to outbreak response.
Experts suggest that incorporating vaccine education into middle- and high-school curricula could counter misinformation and improve future vaccination uptake.