Measles cases continue to rise – this is worrying. The good news is that there is a super effective vaccine that protects you and your loved ones.
Note – we use data from both the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Brown University Pandemic Center’s weekly tracking report. While the CDC tracks confirmed cases only, the Pandemic Center tracks both probable and confirmed cases using publicly available data from state health departments. (Numbers below are correct as of March 13, 2026).
So, how many cases and outbreaks of measles are there in the US at the moment? These cases are only the cases recorded in 2026 so far:
😷 Total confirmed cases by the Brown University Pandemic Center– 1,527 since the beginning of 2026. This is more than three times the 458 cases reported in the US as of this point last year.
😷 CDC numbers differ somewhat – 1,362 (1,353 in 31 states – 9 are from international visitors to the U.S.)
Can you tell me more about cases? Who are they?
🔸92% are in people who are not vaccinated
🔸A staggering 76% of cases are in those under 19 years of age
🔸According to the CDC, only 5% of people with measles have been hospitalized; however, some states, like South Carolina, are not required to report measles hospitalizations, so the true numbers might be higher.
🔸Fortunately, no one has died of measles this year, and we hope that does not change. In 2025, sadly, three people died. It is worrying, though, that case numbers are already more than half of all cases reported in 2025 — and we are only in March.
Source: Johns Hopkins University – Int Vaccine Access Center – measles tracker
Are there any outbreaks happening at the moment?
Sadly yes. The biggest outbreak currently happening is in South Carolina, with 993 cases, but thankfully that outbreak may be slowing down. Next biggest is Utah, with 405 cases. Unfortunately they just recorded 50 new cases last week, the highest number since August 2025. There are several smaller outbreaks in other states, including Arizona, California and Colorado, and several states recorded their first cases for 2026, among them Alaska, Michigan and Montana.
Source: Brown Pandemic Tracking Center Tracking Report 3/12/26
💡What does this mean for the US’s measles elimination status?
The US earned elimination status for measles in 2000 – meaning the country had gone without large outbreaks or over 12 months of uncontrolled spread. Losing elimination status means the risk of getting measles is already higher, and it also signals a decline in preventive actions, like vaccines, that help keep us safe and healthy.
🤔 The US has already had 13 months of measles spreading in the community, which meets the criteria for losing the status. However, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) has delayed its meeting to discuss the US elimination status to November 2026, so there will be no official decision until then.
And the US wouldn’t be alone:
The UK 🇬🇧 lost its measles elimination status on January 26 of this year, which the medical journal Lancet called “concerning but unsurprising”, and Canada 🇨🇦 lost its status back in November 2025.
So what can I do to protect myself and my family?
💉 Vaccination remains your “best shot” – pardon the pun – at protecting yourself, your family, and those around you who cannot get the vaccine. The CDC’s current acting director recently urged folks to get vaccinated in a video, saying that vaccination was the most effective way to protect yourself 🙌.
🎉 Did you know? The measles virus isn’t changing much. Unlike viruses like the flu and the COVID-19 virus, the measles virus does not mutate in ways that affect how well the vaccine works. We have had the same vaccine since 1963, and it still works with 97% effectiveness for people who have received two doses.
👶 Remember, if you are in an area with an active outbreak, and you have infants under 12 months, check with your trusted clinician as vaccination can be brought forward to 6 months to protect your young ones (even though they will still require a vaccine at 12-15 months and 4-6 years) – you can read more about this here.
😷 Measles virus survives in very small droplets that remain in the air for hours. If you are going to an area with a measles outbreak or potentially unvaccinated children, you should consider wearing a well-fitting mask, ideally a N95/KN95 mask.
🛡️ Immunize yourself against false or misleading information about diseases and vaccines. There is a lot of conflicting information in the news and on social media. Those Nerdy Girls shares sources that are evidence-backed from trustworthy organisations like the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) and the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).
🏫 Educate yourself about measles and other spreadable diseases, as well as vaccines and how they protect against disease.
If you want to learn more, Those Nerdy Girls have written several posts about what measles is, why it’s so dangerous, and why vaccination is safe and so super effective – you can check them out below:
‼️ Wait, there’s more than one type of measles?
‼️ How can I protect myself from measles?
Friendly Neighbor Epidemiologist Emily Smith recently wrote a measles update – you can read her post with lots of cool graphics here.
So, bottom line, although measles may not be in the news every day, it is still very much around and can pose a risk to anyone who is not vaccinated.
Stay safe, stay well.
Love,
Those Nerdy Girls
Resources:
Brown University Pandemic Center – tracking report 3/12/26
CDC – Measles dashboard [archived link]
ACOG – call to action: MMR vaccine remains the strongest defense against measles[archived link]
AAP – measles vaccine [archived link]
Johns Hopkins University – Measles Tracker
