Skip to content

Measles Surges in US, Worst Year Since 1991

scienceOct 8, 2026391,984

The United States is experiencing its largest measles outbreak since 1991, the Associated Press reports. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention had recorded about 3,887 cases as of October 1, 2026, with Pennsylvania reporting more than 1,000 confirmed cases and at least five measles-related deaths in that state. New York Governor Kathy Hochul declared a state disaster emergency after a rapid spread of cases there; Reuters reported 108 cases in New York through October 3. Public health officials and CDC data cited falling childhood vaccination coverage as a key driver, noting U.S. kindergarten vaccination rates have dropped to about 92.5 percent while community immunity requires roughly 95 percent; some rural communities have rates below 80 percent. Officials say roughly 92 to 95 percent of confirmed cases are among people who were unvaccinated or whose vaccination status is unknown. The outbreaks have prompted changes in clinical care in affected areas, including altered approaches to managing pregnant patients and newborns, and have triggered legal and policy fights over federal vaccine guidance and state emergency responses.

Prof Gavin Yamey MD MPH
@gavinyamey.bsky.social

The measles surge that RFK Jr happily drove has infected at least 50 pregnant women in PA "Doctors in outbreak areas are making changes to how they care for pregnant patients & their babies, offering a glimpse of what may be in store across the nation as cases spread" 19thnews.org/2026/10/penn...

146Yesterday
Quoting this
DaemonSky74

This article hurts to read, but it's important. If we can vaccinate people planning pregnancy, it will at least reduce the risk of infant death. I can't believe we're here again.

Kevin Gannon (now a Moo Deng fan account)64

We don't live in a civil society, we live in a hostage situation where--literally speaking--our lives are endangered by the stupidest and craziest people among us

Boston Tom Levenson48

If GOPsters cared for the unborn as much as they say, they'd ride Kennedy out of town on a rail. That RFK Jr. remains HHS Secretary tells you all you need to know about what "pro-life" really means to those who beat their breasts to advertise their "love" of the little ones.

Jen in Motion7

This is why any time someone says they're "pro-life" correct them. They are anti-abortion and pro-forced birth because they support guys who are bringing measles back and forcing women to birth sick babies and they want to keep vaccines from as many as they can. That's not pro-life.

Ben Wildflower5

Antivaxers are class traitors. Antivaxers kill kids. Antivaxers are eugenicists. There are no reasonable antivaxers.

John Robinson4

“A newborn had congenital measles, which was passed in utero through an unvaccinated mother who was infected.” Aha! Maybe they’ll start caring when it affects the unborn child.

Christmas Coffee3

As a deafblind Morrison, not by rubella but by a rare genetic condition, I am furious that these babies could have avoided sensory loss but now have to live with it. Mine was unavoidable. Knowing your mother could have a routine jab to stop your lifelong loss will be hard to live with

1 source