Measles 2026

Measles is making a comeback in the United States. Most cases are due to travel, but outbreaks have been seen in many areas. CDC defines an outbreak as 3 or more related cases. Most outbreaks are due to travelers bringing cases into the US and then the disease spreading among unvaccinated individuals. In 1962 before the vaccine first came out, there were 481,530 cases of measles in the US. By 1967, the number of cases had dropped to 62,705. Michigan had 30 confirmed cases in 2025 and 17 so far in 2026. The percent of children vaccinated in 2026 has fallen to 90.9% of Michigan kindergartners. The concern is that more cases will be seen as the vaccination rate drops. I have updated my presentation on measles, and it is now on our website. Feel free to contact me or your local health department for more information.