The United States is experiencing its largest measles outbreak in more than three decades in 2025, surpassing 2,000 cases annually for the first time since the early 1990s, according to official figures from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The outbreaks are occurring amidst the administration of Trump’s anti-vaccine Health Secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has downplayed the risks of the disease and spread misleading claims about the vaccine, while suggesting alternatives lacking scientific evidence.
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As of December 23, health authorities had recorded 2,012 cases nationwide, distributed across 44 jurisdictions, reflecting a sustained spread of the disease. Of the total, 24 cases were among foreign nationals visiting the United States.
The surge in infections is occurring within the context of prolonged outbreaks that could have international repercussions. Experts warn that if transmission is not controlled by the end of January 2026, the United States could lose its “measles elimination” status, a global recognition the country has held for decades.
Measles can be serious. Cases are up this year in the U.S. and internationally. Make sure you and your family are protected before traveling this holiday season. The decision to vaccinate is a personal one. Individuals should speak to their healthcare provider on the risks and… pic.twitter.com/W2oToklUAm
— CDC (@CDCgov) December 18, 2025
The CDC detailed that 87% of the cases registered this year are linked to 50 active outbreaks, a figure significantly higher than in 2024, when 16 outbreaks were reported and just under 70% of infections were concentrated in specific clusters. Furthermore, nearly 93% of those infected were unvaccinated or had no record of their immunization status.
So far in 2025, authorities have confirmed three deaths associated with the disease, a figure that reinforces the medical community’s concern about the reemergence of a virus that was considered under control.
Texas leads the list of the hardest-hit states, with 803 cases, followed by Arizona with 187, and South Carolina, where 156 infections were recorded. In South Carolina, an outbreak that began in October triggered a new wave of infections: more than a hundred people fell ill, and hundreds had to quarantine to curb the spread.
Estados Unidos registró 1.618 casos de sarampión en lo que va del año, la cifra más alta reportada desde 1992.https://t.co/M3O5UrP6fz
— teleSUR TV (@teleSURtv) October 23, 2025
South Carolina’s state epidemiologist, Linda Bell, warned that transmission remains active and could continue for several more weeks. “We are facing ongoing transmission that we anticipate will continue for many more weeks, at least in our state,” he said.
The increase in cases coincides with the administration of Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has been criticized for downplaying the risks of measles and for spreading misleading messages about vaccination by promoting alternatives without scientific backing.
Given this situation, the CDC insists that vaccination is the primary tool for containing outbreaks and preventing the United States from losing its international recognition as a measles-free country, a status that is now seriously threatened.
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