The U.S. measles case count for this year has surged past last year’s total and now stands at 2,295 — a level that hasn’t been seen in 35 years, according to a Johns Hopkins University tracker that compiles state and local health data.
Why it matters: It’s the latest sign that the virus is rebounding in areas with low vaccine coverage, threatening the United States’ measles elimination status, which is due to be reviewed in November.
The big picture: The majority of cases are in unvaccinated people. While overall measles vaccination rates are still relatively high, public health officials say they must remain above 95% to maintain herd immunity.
By the numbers: As of Tuesday, there were nine more cases than in all of 2025, per the Johns Hopkins U.S. measles tracker.
https://www.axios.com/2026/07/22/measles-cases-surge-past-last-year