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US measles cases surpass 5,000 amid falling vaccination rates
Published : Saturday, 7 November, 2026 at 9:16 PM
Observer Online Report
Collected Photo
Measles infections in the United States have exceeded 5,000 this year, reaching their highest annual level since 1991, as declining vaccination rates fuel outbreaks across the country, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The CDC reported 5,182 cases as of November 2026, more than double the 2,289 recorded in 2025. Children and adolescents account for nearly 59 per cent of infections, while 4,993 cases are linked to outbreaks.
The vaccination rate among kindergarten students fell to 92.4 per cent in the 2025-26 school year from 95.2 per cent in 2019-20.
Dispute over deaths
The CDC has reported four measles-related deaths this year, while Pennsylvania officials have reported six deaths and 1,487 infections, triggering a dispute over how such deaths should be classified.
The disagreement involves Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro and US Health Secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr. The CDC said it was working with state and territorial epidemiologists to establish a common definition for measles-related deaths.
Experts have warned that declining vaccination coverage is contributing to the global resurgence of measles, despite the disease being preventable through immunisation.
Source: Al Jazeera
-AH
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