In brief
Al Jazeera reports that 5,182 measles cases have been confirmed in the United States in 2026, the most in 35 years. Children and teenagers make up almost 60 percent of cases, and the outbreak follows a decline in vaccination coverage among kindergarteners. A dispute over death classifications, especially in Pennsylvania, has emerged between state officials, Governor Josh Shapiro, and U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Al Jazeera reported that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has confirmed 5,182 cases of measles in the United States for the calendar year 2026, the highest number since 1991, and more than double the 2,289 cases reported in 2025.
Children below the age of five account for 18 percent of the confirmed cases, while those between five and 19 years of age account for 41 percent, bringing the total of children and teenagers to about 59 percent of all cases, according to CDC data supplied to Al Jazeera.
CDC officials cited a decline in vaccination coverage among U.S. kindergarteners, noting a drop from 95.2 percent in the 2019‑2020 school year to 92.4 percent in the 2025‑2026 school year, as a likely factor that contributed to the higher number of cases.
Outbreak‑associated cases make up the majority, with 4,993 of the 5,182 reported cases linked to ongoing transmission networks, revealing that the current spike is largely due to sustained community spread rather than isolated incidents.
There have been four confirmed measles deaths in 2026 according to CDC totals, while the federal count has been the subject of a dispute between Pennsylvania and the federal government over how deaths are classified.
According to Pennsylvania’s Department of Health, six deaths and 1,487 cases were reported for the year, with the state tracking “measles‑associated” deaths when a confirmed case dies within 30 days of developing symptoms, unless the death was caused by an unrelated event.
Governor Josh Shapiro and U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. have publicly debated the classification criteria, with Kennedy questioning whether certain deaths should be counted in the national tally, a disagreement that has fueled controversy over the proper reporting of measles‑related mortality.
