The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released data today indicating a total of 5,182 confirmed measles cases in the United States for 2026, the highest number of cases reported by the agency since 1991. The figure, published by Al Jazeera on March 18, shows that almost 60% of cases are in children and teenagers, with children under five accounting for 18% and those aged five to 19 making up 41% of cases.
Al Jazeera reports that the majority of cases, 4,993 in total, are outbreak‑associated. The data highlights a decline in kindergarten vaccination coverage from 95.2% during the 2019‑2020 school year to 92.4% in the 2025‑2026 school year, a factor that health officials say is driving the surge in infections. The 2026 total is more than double the 2,289 confirmed measles cases reported in 2025, underscoring the rapid growth of the outbreak.
The agency also released its national death toll, which stands at four deaths linked to measles in 2026. Pennsylvania, the hardest hit state, reported 1,487 cases and six deaths on its own death table, using a “measles-associated” classification that counts deaths within 30 days of symptom onset. Governor Josh Shapiro and U.S. Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr have publicly disputed the inclusion of these deaths in the federal count, with Kennedy questioning the classification criteria and the CDC subsequently removing the deaths from its tally.
Al Jazeera notes that this dispute has intensified tensions between state and federal officials, with Pennsylvania maintaining that it is reporting all deaths that occur within the 30‑day window of confirmed measles infection. The conflict highlights broader disagreement over how measles deaths are defined and reported in the United States, a controversy that continues to unfold as the outbreak expands.
