The latest CDC numbers show a 6.2% increase of measles cases from week-to-week. Last week there was a 5.4% increase in cases showing a continuing steady increase dictated by ongoing outbreaks across the US.
News|Articles|April 17, 2026
Measles Update: April 17, 2026
Author(s)John Parkinson
The latest CDC numbers show only a 0.40% increase of measles cases from week-to-week. This continues a downward trend in the percentage of cases from last week where there was only a 2.57% increase.
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Today, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported there were 1,748* cases of measles in the US as of April 9, 2026. Week-over week, that is an additional 7 cases and a 0.40% increase. Last week, the federal agency reported there was 1,741* confirmed cases.1 This continues a trend of a significant decrease in the number of cases from the previous week that saw a 2.57% increase in cases the week ending, April 9.
CDC said there were 1,738 measles cases were reported by 33 jurisdictions: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Kentucky, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, New York City, New York State, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin. A total of 10 measles cases were reported among international visitors to the United States.1 This number has continued to stay static from week-to-week.
The federal agency reports “there have been 19 new outbreaks** reported in 2026, and 94% of confirmed cases (1,637 of 1,748) are outbreak-associated (388 from outbreaks in 2026 and 1,249 from outbreaks that started in 2025).” 1
Is Measles Endemic in the US?
The above CDC chart shows cases dropping significantly the last few weeks, dropping to single digits with this past week’s increase showing the smallest percentage of measles cases in months. Typically cases begin to decrease in the spring.
What remains to be seen is if measles has become endemic in the US and will continue to circulate throughout the course of the year. According to the CDC chart, the last time no measles cases were reported in the US was December 15, 2024. Its resurgence of cases in unvaccinated areas across states has continued throughout 2025 and well into 2026.
*It is important to note that the CDC says on its website that the federal agency is aware of probable measles cases being reported by jurisdictions. However, the data on this page only include confirmed cases that jurisdictions notified the CDC about. Therefore, there could be higher numbers in the US overall.
**CDC reports the cumulative number of measles outbreaks (defined as 3 or more related cases) that have occurred this year in the US; states have the most up-to-date information about cases and outbreaks in their jurisdictions.
This will conclude our weekly reporting of measles cases for this season. For those who are interested in learning more about the disease, check out our
Reference
1.Measles Cases and Outbreaks. CDC. April 17, 2026. Accessed April 17, 2026.
https://www.cdc.gov/measles/data-research/index.html
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