As of Jan. 6, the CDC has confirmed 2,147 measles cases in 2025 and 2026, with North Carolina and South Carolina reporting the latest cases amid dozens of outbreaks across the U.S.
The U.S. achieved measles elimination status in 2020, but the nation could lose this designation in late January.
In 2025, the CDC logged 49 outbreaks across 45 states. The federal health agency has not reported on any measles-related hospitalizations or deaths in 2026. In 2025, there were 240 hospitalizations and three deaths.
“About 11% of patients are still being hospitalized for measles, so hospitals may need to be ready to employ isolation precautions to prevent in-hospital spread,” Kaufman Hall said in a Jan. 9 news release.
The majority of infections are among unvaccinated individuals. A national survey conducted from Nov. 17 to Dec. 1 by the Annenberg Public Policy Center of Philadelphia-based University of Pennsylvania found a decline in the public’s perception of the safety and effectiveness of measles, mumps and rubella vaccines. In 2025, 83% of U.S. adults considered the MMR vaccine as safe, which is significantly lower than the 88% who said the same in 2022.
The CDC’s count of 2,147 cases represents only confirmed cases; some U.S. jurisdictions are reporting probable measles cases. For example, the CDC confirmed three new cases in 2026 — in North Carolina and South Carolina, collectively — while both states have reported dozens more.
The South Carolina Department of Public Health reported 99 new measles cases on Jan. 9, raising the state’s total number to 310. The same day, North Carolina’s health department announced one new case, bringing its total to five cases since late December.
