# US Loses Measles Elimination Status

> US loses measles elimination status after 12 months of continuous spread.
- Title: US Loses Measles Elimination Status · The Straits Times
- Summary: US loses measles elimination status after 12 months of continuous spread. The US has lost measles elimination status after 12 months of continuous…
- Keywords: measles, cdc, utah outbreak, pennsylvania outbreak, mmr vaccine, measles cases, measles deaths, The Straits Times
- Source: The Straits Times — https://straitstimes.com/world/united-states/us-loses-measles-elimination-status-as-cases-surge-wsj
- Published: 2026-11-14T06:35:00+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: measles, cdc, us, utah outbreak, pennsylvania outbreak, mmr vaccine, measles cases, measles deaths, news, world
## Measles Cases Surge
The US has lost measles elimination status after continuous spread for 12 months, mainly linked to Utah’s outbreak and more than 700 cases.
## CDC Confirms 5,412 Cases
The CDC confirmed 5,412 measles cases in 2026, the highest since 1991, with nine deaths and big outbreaks in Pennsylvania and Utah.
## Vaccination Rates Decline
Vaccination rates declined as the pandemic increased distrust in federal health guidance, creating an opportunity for the virus to take hold again.
## Utah Outbreak Details
Utah’s outbreak began in June 2025 and has infected more than 700 people, with only 87.2% of kindergartners vaccinated.
## CDC Staff Cuts Impact
Under Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., CDC staff cuts and leadership changes weakened disease control efforts.
## Measles Deaths Rise
The US has nine measles deaths this year, three times the toll in 2025, with Pennsylvania reporting its seventh death on Nov 13.
## Measles Transmission Risk
The loss of elimination status may prompt travel warnings and vaccine advisories from other nations, as Canada lost its status a year ago.
## Key takeaway

The US has lost measles elimination status after 12 months of continuous transmission, with 5,412 cases confirmed in 2026.