CDC reports 4,588 measles cases in the US, more than double 2025

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported 4,588 confirmed measles cases in 2026 as of the October 23 cutoff, 178 more than a week earlier and more than double the figure recorded for all of 2025, according to The Guardian.

Situation report 14 from the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), published on October 22, counts 56,753 confirmed cases and 81 deaths across the Americas through October 17, with five countries accounting for 99.5% of infections. Mexico ranks second, with 13,691 cases and 23 deaths, behind Guatemala (34,535) and ahead of the United States (4,410), Peru and Canada. The PAHO US count of 4,410 cases corresponds to the same October 17 cutoff. PAHO warns that regional mobility favors the importation of cases into areas with immunization gaps.

The CDC counts 43 active outbreaks and 479 hospitalizations, close to 10% of cases; 96% of those infected had no vaccine or no record of one, and 42% were between 5 and 19 years old. Pennsylvania accounts for 1,338 cases across 44 counties, nearly 30% of the national total, and its health department reports five deaths, against three confirmed by the federal authority. South Carolina and Utah each exceed 500 cases, and authorities consider the official count an undercount because initial symptoms do not always lead patients to seek care. One in five unvaccinated people who become infected requires hospitalization, according to The Guardian. Andrew Pavia, a pediatric infectious disease specialist at the University of Utah, noted that measles is a serious disease and that its consequences will be felt for years, according to CIDRAP.

With 178 new cases in seven days and 479 accumulated hospitalizations, the next CDC update will show whether the outbreak is holding its pace. PAHO will continue publishing regional situation reports, with Mexico among the five countries that account for nearly all infections.

This article was written with the assistance of artificial intelligence from verified sources and reviewed by a human editor before publication.