Measles cases have surpassed 4,000, nearly doubling the total recorded in 2025

The country has surpassed 4,000 confirmed cases of measles so far in 2026, a record number that far exceeds the total recorded throughout all of last year, when 2,289 cases were reported, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

According to information published by CBS News, the CDC reported on Friday that the country had accumulated 4,080 confirmed cases as of Thursday. The figure far exceeds that of 2025, which had already been the year with the most infections in three decades.

The highly contagious disease has been detected in most states and in Washington, D.C., while several territories are facing outbreaks that have driven up the number of infections.

Pennsylvania surpasses 1,000 cases

Pennsylvania surpassed 1,000 measles cases in 2026 this week, after reporting 145 new infections on Wednesday.

According to the Pennsylvania Department of Health, five measles-related deaths have been recorded in the state this year. Authorities consider a death to be associated with the disease when the person dies within 30 days of the onset of symptoms, shows clinical evidence of infection, and tests positive in a laboratory test, provided the death is not due to unrelated causes, such as a traffic accident.

In the neighboring state of New York, Governor Kathy Hochul declared a state of emergency on Monday in response to the rise in cases in the region.

The executive order allows more healthcare professionals to administer measles vaccines and authorizes nurses to order diagnostic tests, according to the governor's office.

95% of patients were unvaccinated or had an unknown vaccination status

CDC data indicate that 95% of patients diagnosed in the United States this year were either unvaccinated against measles or had an unknown vaccination status.

Approximately 2% had received one dose of the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine, while another 2% had received two doses.