US measles cases top 35-year record, former CDC chief cites weakened readiness
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that more than 2,300 measles cases were confirmed in the United States in 2026, the highest tally in 35 years, and former CDC chief medical officer Debra Houry warned that the surge reflects weakened public-health readiness under Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. The agency had first disclosed 2,231 cases on July 9, nearly matching the total recorded for the entire 2025 year. Johns Hopkins University’s tracker later showed 2,295 confirmed infections by early June, surpassing the previous yearly record.
State health departments reported outbreaks in several regions, with Utah’s weekly count falling to six after a March peak of 58, while California logged 52 cases in the first half of the year, more than double the prior year’s total. In Texas, Montgomery County officials confirmed three cases linked to an out-of-state traveler, and Maryland health officials reported two additional infections tied to recent travel, urging residents to verify vaccination status. Public-health officials have attributed the rise to declining vaccination coverage and a growing share of cases among unvaccinated individuals. The surge coincided with record numbers of Cyclospora infections and a Legionnaires’ disease outbreak, which health officials said further strained public-health resources.
