U.S. measles cases near 3,000 as back-to-school season begins

WASHINGTON - Public health officials warned that the return to school will likely worsen an already record measles year, The Hill reported.

By late August the country had recorded nearly 3,000 measles cases across 47 jurisdictions and 36 outbreaks in 2026, according to figures cited by The Hill. That pace marks the worst U.S. measles totals in about 35 years after 2025 itself ran unusually high.

CDC weekly updates summarized by CIDRAP put the count at 2,777 earlier in the week after 211 newly confirmed infections, more than double the prior week's add. Pennsylvania and Ohio led the newest jump. Most cases involve children and teens. About 7 percent of patients this year have been hospitalized. No measles deaths have been confirmed in 2026 so far, after three deaths in 2025.

Lori Freeman, CEO of the National Association of County and City Health Officials, told The Hill communities should expect more of what they have already seen. Most public schools begin the 2026-27 year by the end of August, packing students into classrooms while measles remains highly contagious.

New CDC data released this week found nonmedical vaccine exemptions among kindergartners reached 4.2 percent in the 2025-26 school year, an all-time high. National MMR coverage among kindergartners has slipped below the 95 percent level long tied to strong community protection.

About 94 percent of this year's measles patients were unvaccinated or had unknown vaccine status, CDC figures show. Local pockets matter: some schools in hard-hit counties report MMR rates far below the county average, which can hide risk when only countywide numbers are published.

For families and grandparents, the practical steps are familiar. Check school immunization rules, confirm two MMR doses when due, and keep sick children home. Adults unsure of their history can ask a clinician about titers or a catch-up dose, especially before travel or when helping in classrooms.