CDC reports 5,412 confirmed measles cases in the United States in 2026

1. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported 5,412 confirmed measles cases in the United States as of November 12, 2026.

2. The CDC reported 43 new outbreaks in 2026, with 96% of confirmed cases associated with an outbreak; measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccination coverage among kindergartners was 92.4% during the 2025–2026 school year.

2MM Brief: The CDC reported 5,412 confirmed measles cases in the United States in 2026 as of November 12, based on cases notified by jurisdictions by 12:00PM on Thursday. Of the total, 5,394 cases were reported by 47 jurisdictions, and 18 occurred among international visitors to the United States. The CDC reported 43 new outbreaks in 2026. Overall, 5,216 cases, or 96% of confirmed cases, were associated with outbreaks; 3,831 cases came from outbreaks that began in 2026 and 1,385 from outbreaks that began in 2025. The CDC reported 2,289 confirmed measles cases and 48 outbreaks in the United States during the full year of 2025. In that year, 2,066 cases, or 90%, were outbreak-associated. The agency defines a measles outbreak as 3 or more related cases and noted that states have the most current information about cases and outbreaks in their jurisdictions. The CDC said the data include only confirmed cases reported to the agency, although jurisdictions have also reported probable cases. The 2026 and 2025 case counts are preliminary and may change as additional information becomes available and reviews are completed. The CDC reported that MMR vaccination coverage among U.S. kindergartners decreased from 95.2% during the 2019–2020 school year to 92.4% during the 2025–2026 school year, leaving approximately 280,000 kindergartners at risk during the 2025–2026 school year. The agency said local vaccination coverage varies considerably and that unvaccinated groups can allow outbreaks to occur. The CDC is working with the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists to develop a standardized case definition for measles deaths, intended to support consistent classification and reporting across jurisdictions. It also directs clinicians and communities to health department resources for outbreak recommendations and measles information.

Citation: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

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