Measles Update: October 30, 2026
The latest CDC numbers show a 5.8% increase in measles cases from week-to-week, bringing the 2026 US total to more than double the amount seen in all of 2025 with 2 months left in the year.
Today, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) there were 4,852* cases of measles in the US as of October 29, 2026. Week-over-week, this is an additional 264 cases and a 5.8% increase. Last week, the federal agency reported there were
CDC said there were 4,834 measles cases were reported by 47 jurisdictions: Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York City, New York State, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. A total of 18 measles cases were reported among international visitors to the United States. 1
The federal agency reports there have been 43 new outbreaks** reported in 2026, and 96% of confirmed cases (4,666 of 4,852) are outbreak-associated (3,282 from outbreaks starting in 2026 and 1,384 from outbreaks started in 2025).¹
2026 Case Totals Already Double All of 2025
For the full year of 2025, the CDC reported 2,289 confirmed* measles cases across 45 jurisdictions, along with 48 outbreaks. This year's total of 4,852 cases is more than twice the 2025 figure.
By comparison, 16 outbreaks were reported during 2024, and 69% of cases (198 of 285) were outbreak-associated.1
Age, Vaccination, and Hospitalization Data
According to the CDC's case table, 17% of cases (766) occurred in children younger than 5 years, 42% (1914) in those aged 5 to 19 years, and 41% (1881) in adults aged 20 years or older. Overall, 96% of cases were in unvaccinated people or people with unknown vaccination status, 2% had received 1 MMR dose, and 2% had received 2 doses.
Hospitalization was reported for 10% of cases (479 of 4,588), including 16% of children younger than 5 years. The CDC reports 3 measles deaths in 2026, a number it says is subject to change.1
*It is important to note the CDC says on its website the federal agency is aware of probable measles cases being reported by jurisdictions. However, the data on this page only include confirmed cases 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.
Continue to check back with Contagion for our weekly updates, news announcements around the disease, and clinician commentary. In addition, we have a measles library (https://www.contagionlive.com/clinical/measles) of articles and clinician commentary.
References
1.Measles Cases and Outbreaks. CDC. Updated October 30, 2026. Accessed October 30, 2026. https://www.cdc.gov/measles/data-research/index.html
2. Measles Update: October 16, 2026. Contagion. October 16, 2026. Accessed October 23, 2026. https://www.contagionlive.com/view/measles-update-october-16-2026
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