Global Health Officials Weigh US Elimination Status Amid Nationwide Surge
Public health officials advising an arm of the United Nations will consider this week whether the U.S. can still claim it has eliminated measles.
For Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., it will be a legacy-defining decision as he has helmed the nation’s response to infections that have erupted across the country since last year. More than 7,000 cases have been reported nationwide since January 2025.
Pan American Health Organization Decides Transmission Continuity
The Pan American Health Organization must determine if a single chain of transmission has continued for at least a year to strip the country of its elimination status. Pennsylvania is currently seeing active outbreaks, and New York remains in a state of emergency.
If officials find that uninterrupted transmission has not met the one-year threshold, Kennedy will gain more time to demonstrate that his agency can control the spread. Measles requires a population vaccination rate of at least 95% to achieve containment.
Vaccine Skepticism Clashes With Public Health Guidance
Kennedy’s leadership involves efforts to downsize the childhood vaccine schedule and discourage school vaccination mandates. He continues to promote the discredited belief that vaccines cause far more injuries than the government acknowledges.
Nearly 5,200 measles cases across 45 states and Washington, D.C., have been tracked by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention this year, alongside eight deaths, including an infant in Wisconsin who marked the state’s first measles fatality since 1990.
Contagion Rates and Clinical Complications
Dr. Andrew Handel, a pediatric infectious diseases physician at Stony Brook Children’s Hospital, told ABC News that the virus is the most contagious infection we know of. He warned that a single infected person can transmit the virus to up to 18 unvaccinated individuals.
The virus spreads through the air when an infected person coughs or exhales, and someone entering a room an hour and a half later can become infected. Initial symptoms mimic other respiratory infections with a high fever exceeding 104 degrees Fahrenheit, cough, runny nose, and conjunctivitis.
Severe complications can include pneumonia, dehydration, and acute brain infections causing seizures or meningitis. The CDC states that the MMR vaccine, administered starting at 12 months old, is safe, effective, and provides the best protection against the ongoing outbreaks.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Measles Outbreak
What criteria does the Pan American Health Organization use for measles elimination?
The advisory body looks to see if a single chain of transmission has remained active for at least 12 months before deciding to revoke a country’s elimination status.
Which populations cannot receive the MMR vaccine?
Children undergoing cancer treatment, individuals who are pregnant, and people with compromised immune systems cannot receive the vaccine.
What was the death toll and geographic spread recorded by federal health agencies?
The CDC recorded nearly 5,200 cases across 45 states and Washington, D.C., resulting in eight deaths, which included an infant in Wisconsin.
Related reading