After 26 Years, US Reportedly Loses Longstanding Measles Elimination Status as Cases Surge Nationwide
What the reported change means
The United States has held measles-elimination status since 2000. Isolated cases and outbreaks lasting less than 12 months can occur without ending that designation. The Pan American Health Organization defines a loss of elimination status as continuous spread within a country, with a single transmission chain lasting at least 12 months. The reported change therefore signals sustained domestic transmission.
Cases have risen sharply
The CDC reported 5,412 confirmed U.S. measles cases in 2026 through Nov. 12. That is more than double the 2,289 cases recorded across 2025. PAHO’s independent regional verification commission considered countries’ elimination status at a meeting in Washington, D.C., from Nov. 10 to 13. The report of the U.S. status change cited people familiar with the matter.
Wisconsin infant dies
The reported national loss of status comes amid the rise in cases. Unvaccinated people and those without immunity are among those most at risk, according to the report.
Key points
- The U.S. has reportedly lost measles-elimination status after holding it since 2000.
- The designation applies when measles transmission continues for at least 12 months.
- The CDC counted 5,412 confirmed cases through Nov. 12, 2026.
- A Wisconsin infant’s death was the state’s first measles-linked death in 36 years.