The United States is currently facing a measles outbreak that has left health officials concerned. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there have been a staggering 733 confirmed measles cases reported across the nation so far this year. But here's where it gets controversial... The CDC also revealed that in just a few weeks, the U.S. reported four times as many cases as typically seen throughout an entire calendar year. Before last year, which had a record-breaking 2,276 cases, the U.S. averaged 180 cases annually since measles was declared eliminated in 2000. This sudden surge in cases has experts worried, especially as South Carolina is dealing with the largest outbreak recorded in recent memory. Other states that have reported cases and are dealing with ongoing outbreaks include Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Kentucky, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Dakota, Utah, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin. Most of the outbreaks occurring across the country are in pockets of under-vaccinated or unvaccinated communities. The rate of kindergartners vaccinated with the measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine has fallen from 95% in 2019 to below 93% in 2025, CDC data shows. Herd immunity, a threshold for vaccination rates that slow a virus' ability to spread, is typically achieved at 95% vaccination rates, public health experts say. Declining vaccination rates have left approximately 300,000 kindergarteners unprotected from measles infection. The MMR vaccine is given in two doses, the initial shot given after the first year of life and the second shot given after the fourth year of life. This is a developing story. Check back for updates.
